Are Grandparents Going Overboard with Their Grandchildren

A survey conducted last year by BeGrand.net revealed that 81% of grandparents thought their grandchildren are more spoiled than they were. And they say it’s not just money, it’s far more than that.

As a grandmother myself, I say that's true and the sad thing is, I think spoiling my grandson at this stage may do him more harm than good down the road.

For example, I still iron because I like to iron and I like the way nicely pressed clothes look beyond permanent press. My grandson has gotten accustomed to having his clothes ironed. He now thinks everything he wears should be ironed, including his undershirts and boxers. That's something my mother used to do for my father but I ain't my mother.

Another thing is the fact that he has to have his strawberries and blueberries prepared in a certain way. The strawberries must be cut into halves with the blueberries on top, sprinkled with sugar.

He is also into the "preppy look." Now, I am not going to take 100 percent of the blame for this because his mother has a hand in his clothes shopping but between the two of us, we have given him a "Dapper Dan" complex.

I think there are many parents and grandparents who go above and beyond what is necessary to keep their children happy. The truth is, if a child grows accustomed to having it their way and being pampered all the time, then it stops being special treatment and becomes the "norm". To get them to appreciate what you do for them, you need to find a way to make them see how much effort you put in.

The best case scenerio, in my grandson's case, is that he will grow up and learn to do these things for himself---without relying on someone else to do them for him. He will also learn to appreciate how hard his grandma had to work to do those "special" things for him---and that's one lesson I definitely don't mind teaching.

Grandma's Pregnant

My four-year-old grandson has become my new personal trainer. He is my biggest motivator and inspiration when it comes to my efforts to get rid of my middle age spread.

For the past several days he has come up to me, leaned his head on my stomach and asked, "Grandma, do you have a baby in your belly?" Now, you and I both know no adult would have the nerve to say that--but my grandson's inquiring mind wants to know based on the evidence he thinks he sees.

No, he has no concept of what it means to fight the battle of the bulge. He only equates pudge with pregnancy so I guess that means I must go ahead and give birth---and try to do it in less than nine months!

In the meantime, please enjoy this video I created a few years ago after I wrote my first book: Whatever! A Baby Boomer's Journey Into Middle Age.