Four out of ten mums have been ‘run-ragged’ by their kids – after they have been spoilt rotten at nan and grandad’s house, a study has revealed. Researchers found after spending time with grandparents, where they are fed what they want when they want, allowed to watch anything on TV and stay up late, parents face a battle to get their kids back to normal when they get home.
Things get so bad for over a quarter of parents that they avoid letting their children stay with their grandparents too much, while another one in four even refuse to let them stay overnight at all.
And more than one in five have ended up rowing or falling out with their parents or in-laws because they spoil their children too much.
A spokesperson for family comedy film Parental Guidance, which commissioned the study to mark it’s release on Blu-ray and DVD said:
”It’s widely accepted that it’s a grandparents’ job to spoil their grandchildren.
”After bringing up their own children, they get to sit back and enjoy the youngsters for short periods of time, knowing they can hand them back to their parents afterwards.
”This means they get to enjoy spoiling them as well as letting them do what they want to avoid any tantrums or bad moods while they are looking after them.
”But while this means they get an easier life, the survey results suggest it can be a nightmare for parents as children return home expecting their Mum and Dad to carry on the same way.
”The survey revealed both parties need to find some middle ground so they are all happy and grandparents can still enjoy the time with the children while parents don’t have such a battle when they get home.”
The study of 2,000 parents found an overwhelming 83% say their children are regularly spoilt by their grandparents, with plenty of chocolate or cakes the most common treat.
More than a third reckon grandparents let the children stay up later than they are usually allowed to, while another one in three believe the youngsters are let off if they don’t want to eat all or any of their lunch or dinner.
Other ways grandparents spoil their children’s offspring include letting them eat whatever they want, not telling them off if they are naughty and putting up with them talking back or being cheeky.
But this means parents face the fall-out, with 45% saying their children act spoilt or misbehave more than usual after returning from a stay at their grandparents.
And 38% say their children are more likely to answer them back, while 37% also say their offspring will ignore them altogether after they have been looked after by Gran or Grandad.
More than half also reckon their children expect them to carry on letting them do the same things they have been getting away with at their grandparents’ house once they get back into their usual routine.
48% of parents even think the grandparents try to get one over on them by letting them do or eat things they know they wouldn’t usually be allowed to do.
To try and avoid any trouble when the kids return home, 35% of parents have given the grandparents a list of do’s and don’ts, but a quarter of those reckon they are ignored anyway.
Researchers also found the average youngster spends around five days a month with their grandparents, along with one overnight stay a month.
And while 45% let the kids spend time with them because it’s fun, more than a third of parents have no choice because they need to rely on the grandparents for help with childcare.
But although six in ten think it’s a grandparents’ job to spoil their grandchildren, almost one in ten admit it really annoys them.
46% of parents have even told their parents, or partner’s parents, they let their children get away with too much.
TOP 10 GRANDPARENT TREATS
1. Give them chocolate or cake
2. Let them stay up late
3. Let them off if they don’t want to eat all of their lunch or dinner
4. Let them eat whatever they want
5. Let them eat their lunch/dinner in front of the TV
6. Let them do whatever they want
7. Don’t tell them off if they are naughty
8. Let them eat whenever they want
9. Let them watch TV shows that I usually say no to
10. Put up with them talking back
