Growing up, I always heard about grandparents spoiling their grandkids. But I didn’t really understand what they were talking about. I had one living set of grandparents and their idea of spoiling me was serving whitefish salad instead of tuna.
When I visited my Grandparents’ house, we played rummy cube and shuffleboard, were served orange juice in glasses that were way too small and lived in fear of the local alligators that supposedly lurked in the man-made waterways running throughout their retirement community.
I was not showered with presents or catered to like I was the Princess of Zamunda. Not even a little.
So, seeing how my mother and mother-in-law behave around my children is a bit of a shock. I don’t think either of them have ever arrived at our house without bearing gifts. Clothes, toys, tickets to see Pinkalicious on a live stage. As if, Mazzy’s every move needs to be rewarded.
Did you pee on the potty? Let me buy you a toy!
Did you poop on the potty? Let me buy you a house!
“Ummm…Mom…we don’t really have room in our apartment for a house”.
Oh, that’s okay! I’ll just put the house in the backyard of my house!
And that’s where we get to “Grammy’s Master Plan”. I found it buried in her sock drawer. I hope you can read her writing.
It’s not enough for my mother to create a safe comfortable environment for her grandchildren, she must create the most fantastic play space of all time. It’s not enough that when we visit Grammy, Mazzy’s got a full backyard to run around. She also needs a plastic pool with a slide on it, a water table, a drawing easel, and this thing…
At Grammy’s house, Mazzy sleeps in a bed with 5000 teddy bears. I’m not exaggerating.
On the few occasions, Mazzy has stayed at Grammy’s house, they have condensed more child-focused activities into one weekend than we have taken her in her entire lifetime. The zoo, the children’s museum, the park, the duck pond, the amusement park, the theater— and that’s just Saturday. Every second is planned to ensure that Mazzy isn’t just okay with staying over Grammy’s, she PREFERS it over her own home.
That’s ok though. Because if Mazzy wants to stay with Grammy, that means Mike and I are able to have the occasional night off.
On Thursday, Mazzy went to Grammy’s for a long weekend and Harlow stayed at home. Mike and I learned that although Mazzy wakes up at 5:30am, Harlow can sleep until 8am! Who knew? The first thing Mazzy always does in the morning is wake Harlow up.
Basically, Mazzy being at Grammy’s house feels like VACATION.
And not just for her, for all of us.
On Saturday morning, I hung out in the kitchen sipping coffee while the rest of the house slept. I was almost BORED. Who knew feeling bored was such a luxury?
So, I guess what I’m saying is— Grammy, you go on with your master plan. It will only enable me to succeed at MY MASTER PLAN.
It’s a plan for Mike and I to go on a week long vacation and leave Grammy with both girls. As long as she lets them eat plenty of ice cream and showers them with gifts, I’m sure they won’t just be fine, they’ll be THRILLED.
Maybe we’ll take two weeks… Make that three!
Grammy, if you’re not careful, we might just leave them at your place permanently.
Uh-oh. Is that your real plan?
God, you’re GOOD.
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Do your parents spoil your kids? Is this a good thing or a bad thing?
Love this. And I want Mazzy’s eyebrows….and eyelashes!
My kids live for weekends at grandma’s, total win-win for everyone!
I wish I had someone to take Noah off my hands so often! Not that I want to ditch him for a week or twice (just kidding, I’d love to), but even one night a month would be splendid!
My mother in law has a sunroom literally BURSTING with toys for her 4 grandkids. It is seriously like Legoland, and she will answer the door dressed up in costumes. I think my daughter would give me the middle finger every time I dropped her off and giggle like a mad scientist before diving into the ball pit (yes, a blow up swimming pool filled with balls a-la Chuck-e-Cheese) if she could.
Can I stay over too? Seems like a lot of fun! It almost seems like my son’s grandparents don’t quite know what to do with him, or get bored/tired easily. At least I can get a nap when we visit. Not sure about them taking him for the whole weekend though.
That is so awesome that you have your mom so close. My parents and in laws live in a different state/country, so we really don’t have those awesome options to get a well deserved mini vacation. It’s also great for Mazzy and Harlow to have such lovely grandparents, my relationship with my mother was very strong and determined a lot of my personality. It’s so funny My son wakes up at 5:30 too, it used to be 6, but he took it to the next level and now it’s 5:30, who woulda think that an extra 30 minutes of sleep were such a luxury. Love you Mommyshorts
Will your Mom take boarders / non-grandchildren at her fun house? I think I–er, uh, I mean my kids–would enjoy some time there too … once they got beyond the who-is-this-lady-and-where-am-I part. 🙂
I asked my parents that one time, why they’re all “yes and gifts” with their grandkids, but growing up I had to buy my own birthday gifts with the money I got from other people and going to the toy store was as common as an apocalypse…or is it eclipse? Eh, actually either one will do.
My mother is the same way with my kids. She spoils them rotten and has the patience of a saint.
I’m sort of looking forward to being a grandparent one day myself because they sure make it look like fun!
hilarious and so true! I love the Master Plan written up like that — it’s brilliant!
Three weeks is out! Two weeks is out! Love Grandslam Samy.
Ps. This assumes I have a say in the matter..
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My mom lives next door to us and has my daughter’s entire life. Grammy’s house is fully stocked at all times with food and drinks purchased just for my daughter. My daughter has her own room at my mom’s house even though WE LIVE NEXT DOOR and my daughter has only ever slept over three nights at Grammys. Occasionally I will get a phone call asking if my daughter can go out. Grammy has a day planned for her. She will just, spur of the moment, decide to take the kid out for a bit of shopping or lunch or a trip to the park. Mind you my mom is on a tight budget. Very tight. She buys those snacks for the kiddo by cutting her own food budget because “she needs snacks when she comes over. I can get by without this.” Yes, my mom spoils my kid. Yes. Definitely.
my son used to wake up at 5:30 but I would ignore him completly so he went back to sleep, now they wake up at 7:30 – 8:0 depends on who wakes up first ofcourse, one wakes up the other. I sometimes wake up at 6 or 7 during the weekend just to have a peaceful morning moment to myself….once they are up the won’t nap during the day and drive me insane, they have their own room at grandma’s but they refuse to stay, even though I beg, I would stay, they can have the best pancakes, food, treats, tv, PS3, computer, toys, they can even go out on the street and play (something they can’t at home) but nope they don’t want to stay
I am lucky that my mother tries to keep to my parenting standards when my kids are with her. She never fails to spoil them a little, but she doesn’t hand them the keys to the toy store either. She is a fabulous grandmother.
And yes, someday you will be able to drop both kids off at Grammy’s and go away for a week, but after 3 days you’ll miss them so much you’ll want to run home.
My parents are the same way – spoil her rotten! At first I tried to be belligerent about it and make sure THEY followed MY rules. But then they kept her for a couple days and it was AMAZING.
The last time I dropped her off with them, they were offering her M&M’s as I walked away. Fine with me! see ya!
BTW – Mazzy’s hair is gorgeous! so thick and shiny! What do you use on it? Anything special? thanks!
Could that Mazzy get any cuter?! What a beautiful child! I look forward to checking into your site each day to see your great pictures and read your witty, spot-on, honest, humble commentary on life with your kids. Thanks for being a bright spot in my day!
You have absolutely no idea how lucky you and your children are to have interested, invested, and able grandparents to love and care for them.
Love these pictures, your little girl looks adorable 🙂
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As my mom says after my son stays with her, “He was a total doll. We let him do whatever he wants and give him our undivided attention, and he’s a pure delight!” (These “pajama parties” at Grandma & Grandpa’s always involve eating nothing but crackers for dinner and then getting into pajamas and eating chocolate.).
I’m one of these’s spoiling rotten grandmas. My eldest grandkid is 7 and ever since she Has been born she stayed at my house on Friday nights. Meanwhile i have four more grandkids and i also spoil them too. It gives me so much pleaseure and i love them to Bits. P.S. I’m 50 from Germany and just love your Blog.
The girls have their five minute grandma. She stops by for five minutes and showers them with new clothes or toys. It’s ridiculous, but she knows how to spoil them. i wouldn’t mind going out and letting her watch them, but her house is not child-proofed. My climbing monkeys might get hurt.
[…] My mother is one of those people who is amazing with kids. She comes up with games they want to play, conversations they want to partake in, and just in case that’s not enough to win over her grandchildren, she showers them with endless gifts. […]