In news that ranks right up there with the sky is blue, a new survey of grandparents has revealed that most grandmothers are pretty p'o'd that moms are seeking parenting advice in books and on the web. You have to wonder why they even asked. Of course grannies don't want moms going online to get their parenting advice!
Don't you know grandparents have the corner on the parenting market? If I've heard it once, I've heard it a thousand times. Parents love their kids' grandparents to bits, but if there's one thing they really wish the older generation would do, it's butt out on how to parent their kids!
Think you're alone? Get a load of what the parents we surveyed said drives them nuts … and what grandparent advice they're ignoring!
1. Education — My kids' grandparent thinks pre-school at age 3 is ridiculous.
2. Discipline — My parents spanked me, but my husband and I don't believe in corporal punishment. I caught my mom spanking my child, and when I told her that was unacceptable, she acted like I was criticizing how SHE parented. I wasn't. I just have chosen to do things differently, and I want her to respect that.
3. Pacifiers — Between grandparents who think their grandchild is too old for the binky to grands who keep pushing the pacifier even though parents have taken it away, I could fill this post with sob stories about soothers.
4. Dating — My daughter's boyfriends are none of my parents' business!
5. Playmates — My kids have a grandparent who thinks play groups with other children outside the family take away from time with their cousins. But those cousins are way behind my kids; I'd like for them to interact with other kids!
6. The Other Grandparents — Enough with the guilt trips about who sees the kids more.
7. Potty Training — I believe he will when he's ready and they really make him feel bad when he doesn't.
8. Medication — My parents rushed me to the doctor for every scratch when I was a kid. I've read up on the antibiotic-resistant [diseases] out there, and I don't like to give medicine unless it's absolutely necessary. My parents make me feel like a bad mom for doing something my pediatrician agrees with!
9. Speech — My daughter's grandmother doesn't think pronunciation or grammar are important, but we're really trying to teach her to speak correctly. No baby talk, please!
10. Friends — My parents disapprove of my daughter's best friend, but they've spent pretty much no time with the kid. The girl is at my house all the time; I think I'd know if she was a problem.
11. Kindness — My mother says I'm a pushover because I believe in talking things out with my kids. She was a "my way or the highway" kind of mom … and she wonders why we're not close today? I don't want that relationship with my kids when they're my age.
12. Activities — My son doesn't WANT to play baseball, OK, Dad? He likes LEGO club, and I'd rather pay for him to do something he enjoys.
Are your parents too heavy handed with the parenting advice? What do you tell them to butt out about?
Image via gemsling/Flickr
