“Can we stop shaming parents for having a break from their kids while they spend quality time with their grandparents?
I don’t know when it became so un-normalized for children to have a good, close relationship with their grandparents.
When I tell people my kids go for a sleepover once a week at their grandparents, they almost fall over, and always end up shaming me.
They often say, ‘I could never let my kids be watched by someone else weekly!’
They are not ‘being watched.’ They are spending important time with their grandma and papa.
It takes a village to raise children, and I am forever grateful for mine.
My parents look forward to having my children once a week and plan out so many exciting activities to do with them.
My children also can’t wait for the day that they know they get to spend the whole time with their grandparents, and constantly ask when they get to go see papa and grandma again.
Stop shaming moms whose kids have a very close relationship with their grandparents.
Stop looking at it as, ‘Oh wow, they just dump their kids off on their parents.’
We are a family.
We help each other.
We take care of each other.
No one is being dumped on anyone.
Start looking at it as ‘Wow, how awesome those kids are growing up so close to their grandparents. Their time left on earth is uncertain, so how great they get to make memories right now.’
My kids keep my parents young, and my parents teach my kids things I can’t yet.
I will be forever grateful for my village.
I will be forever grateful my kids are so close to their grandparents.
It’s one of the most important relationships they will ever have.”
This story was submitted to Love What Matters by Caitlin Fladager, and originally appeared on Facebook. You can also follow her journey on Instagram. Be sure to subscribe to our free email newsletter for our best stories.
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