Are You There, Moms? It’s Me, Idiot What’s The Grandparent Situation In Your Family?

Are You There, Moms? It’s Me, Idiot is an ongoing series dedicated to helping one very well-intentioned and dumb future-parent learn about the world of childrearing. Click here to see past columns.

Well hello everyone! Everyone have a good week? As you read this, I am galavanting around Europe visiting my little sister who is studying abroad. This may come off a braggy, but just remember I don’t have children to fulfill me or any life accomplishments. I have literally accomplished nothing, so just let me have this. While I’m gone, let’s talk about family. More specificallywhat’s your relationship with your parents like?

I don’t know what city I’ll end up living in when I eventually decide to stop being a vagrant, but if it’s near to my parents, I hope we can find a balance between them being nicely involved in my possible future kids’ lives without barreling in and trying to take charge. Basically, I want everything to be perfect and not have to deal with unsolicited advice or surprise visits. This, of course, seems like an unlikely achievement, and so if any of you have that all worked out, by all means let us know how you got to that point.

While I want my parents to be involved in my future kids’ lives, I have friends and people close to me who don’t have any relationship at all with their own parents, and don’t see them functioning as grandparents. Their reasons are varied and personal, and it’s a choice I can’t being to understand. In their cases, they’re making the best decision they can for their futures.

Are you happy with your relationship with your parents? Are they as involved in your kids’ lives as you’d like, too involved, or just right? If you’ve got a relationship with your parents that you’re happy with, what does that even look like?

Photo: Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret