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Mum slams grandparents who never watch grandkids but gush over them online

"Boomer grandparents are a**holes!" 

Mum slams grandparents who gush over grandkids online but never look after them

Rachel, otherwise known as @rachonlife on TikTok, has had enough of 'Facebook-Grandparents'.

You know the ones...

They're the type who love to gush over their grandkids online but fall short in the babysitting department. 

In her candid and relatable rant, she doesn't hold back on giving these sorts of people an earful, all while saluting the grandmas and grandpas who genuinely invest time and effort into their grandkids' lives. 

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Image: TikTok
Image: TikTok

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"They never come around, but post about missing their grandkids"

"I love talking about how boomer grandparents are like just a**holes and say they don’t like to watch their grandchildren because it’s not their job," she begins.

She then caveats this by saying she's not talking about all grandparents, just the ones who are seemingly absent from their grandkids' lives but still boast about having the coveted grandma or grandpa label. 

"It’s the grandparents who never come around, but who post on Facebook that they miss their grandkids," Rachel continues. "Or you know that they are the best grandma ever when they see them four times a year and demand that their children get in the car and drive to them. That’s who we’re talking about."

But Rachel says that this sort of behaviour just doesn't cut it. She says that if you want to be a grandparent you actually have to be a grand-parent. 

"You are not a grand friend or a grand sitter. You are a grandparent, so you do play a role in your grandchildren's lives, if you want to be a part of them. You have to help raise them," she says. 

She then praises her in-laws, saying, "My in-laws are so amazing because my husband and I go to therapy every Monday night. They come to our house every Monday night, put our kids to sleep, and then when we get home, they leave.

"They know that their son, who is a 33-year-old man, needs their help, and it’s their job to help their son out in a way that works for everyone. We are not taking advantage of them. They are not overstepping. Our children have a healthy relationship with their grandparents. It's okay."

She concludes, "If you feel offended by anything that I'm saying, Barb, it's because the call is coming from inside the house."

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Parents said they couldn't relate more

In the comments, parents couldn't have agreed more with Rachel. 

"Posting on Facebook and never seeing them goes hand in hand!" wrote one mum.

Another said, "My mum lives down the street and expects me to bring my toddler to her." A different viewer added, "My parents live 30 minutes away from me and act as if driving to my house to see their grandchild is a burden."

Someone else shared, "My parents are grand-acquaintances, nothing more. It's so sad."

"And then they want to brag about how much they miss them," someone else pointed out.

Point of the story: If grandparents want to be involved in their grandchildren's lives, it should be based on genuine care and effort, not just Facebook posts.

Originally published as Mum slams grandparents who never watch grandkids but gush over them online

Original URL: https://www.ntnews.com.au/lifestyle/parenting/mum-slams-grandparents-who-never-watch-grandkids-but-gush-over-them-online/news-story/7af2d6a2b54635881899ebd8f1248fb0