The grandparents are too easy...

[MilwaukeeJoe]

My wifes parents are the only grandparents, and her mom has MS, so I want our kids to spend time with grandma and grandpa. But they get away with so much when they are there. I've asked my wife to talk to her parents about be a bit more strict, but nothing seems to go anywhere.

What, if anything, can I do?

 

[Tyler]

Grandparents are ment to spoil the children, just a fact. The children know what is expected at home and that different places seem to have different 'rules' and they adjust. Your the parents and enforcers not the grandparents they did that already. Let them spoil the children what is it really going to hurt?

 

[Ken]

Grandparents are just that grand! They don't have to enforce to rules, we as parents do. They did that already with you. Like Tyler said "Let them spoil the children what is it really going to hurt?"

 

[Alex]

I am thankful that my parents listen to me when I have issues like this. We both 'rule the house' the same way so my children know what to expect at Nana and Papa's house as they do at home. Maybe you should really sit down and have a heart to heart with them and tell them the reasons you want consistency in your childrens' lives.

 

[Salazar]

I think it depends on what they are letting the kids get away with. If it is stuff that you strongly disagree with and just can't tolerate, say something. If it's basic grandparent spoiling like too much ice cream or too many presents, I say let it go.

 

[stayathomepaul]

As long as the kids are not doing anything dangerous then I do not see harm in children having grandparents who spoil them. My parents spoil our kids but they know what we expect of them at home and adjust their behaviors. I think it is a nice break for them to have a place where they can be spoiled.

 

[Ramblin' Ron]

That's what grandparents are for. I remember my grandparents would let me do almost everything my parents wouldn't let me do including stay up as late as I wanted to and watch TV. I totally agree with the "let them spoil them as long as they don't do dangerous things".

 

[syboken]

There are some that will never set down proper rules no matter how many times you ask or beg, my own was like this and I remember eating all the horrible things and drinking coffee at such a young age. If that happened to me now a a parent I would flip out!

 

[MilwaukeeJoe]

I guess part of the problem is I really don't have the frame of reference of the grandparent rule as my grandparents had all passed when I was very young. While I don't have and issue with them giving the kids stuff, I still want my children to respect them and listen. I'm afraid if they cave into their bad behavior, it's only going to get worse.