Tiger Mum, Free-Range Parent, Attachment Parenting – there are tons of labels to describe different types of mothers.
And some of us might think of ourselves as fitting into a few different categories.
But what about grandparents? Are there different types of those too? Tiger Grannies, is that a thing?
Well, according to Australian parenting website,
Babyology, there are for certain at least fieve different types of grannies and tell us – which ones sounds familiar to you?
1. The, ‘I never want to give them back’ granny
This granny is SO helpful, especially if you are working. She loves nothing more than to spend the day with her grand-cherubs and so will gladly offer regular childcare, or step in when she’s needed.
She smothers her grandchildren in love all day, and they feel it. They lovegranny time too!
The only hard thing with this type is getting out the door when you pick them up. There’s always one more kiss, one more cuddle and one more biscuit to ruin their dinner on the drive home.
2. The, ‘I have my own life’ granny
This granny has raised her kids and now sees this time in her life as hers. Fair enough!
She loves her grandkids but doesn’t feel she should be used as a childcare solution. She’s there for ad-hoc babysitting but doesn’t like to commit to anything that will tie her down regularly.
Because of this, though, the time she does spend with her grandkids is always fun! She doesn’t feel used but is free to bond with them all she likes, when she likes. She’ll take them out to places because she wants to go there, too. They have a ball with her!
3. The, ‘Let’s break all of my own rules’ granny
This granny seems to have forgotten her own parenting rules when it came to raising you or your partner. It’s like she’s of the opinion that it’s ‘not my problem’ when it comes to the grandkids. She just wants to spoil them!
As such, she’ll load them up on sugar and treats, even though you can’t recall her having chocolate biscuits in the house when you were a kid (she doesn’t care about the sugar high, because, not my kids!).
She will also read them story after story, even though it’s past their bedtime. She’s not concerned about having to deal with an over-tired little one come the next day. Right now it’s all about the book snuggles.
Never mind the fact that you were a stickler for bedtime with us, Mum!
4. The, ‘Let’s have some old-fashioned fun’ granny
This granny is so cute; she’s like a character from a book from yesteryear.
She will bake scones with your toddler (dressing him in a frilly apron as he’s perched next to her on the stool), make paper planes with him (because she actually remembers how), mends your little one’s clothes because she’s of the thinking that a ‘stitch in time saves nine’ and she also has the sewing skills.
This granny-type will also never, ever, flick on the telly to entertain them. She has a plethora of old-fashioned fun up her sleeve.
5. The ‘Am I the mum or the granny?’ granny
This type is a control freak. She probably was when she was raising you or your partner, too and well, old habits die hard. Which is why now that she’s a grandma, she can’t help but meddle. She will give well-meaning advice, but it often oversteps into the realm of actual parenting.
But as frustrating as this type is, (“Mu-um, I’m the mother!”) she is also wonderful. She’ll re-order your kid’s clothes’ drawer because she can’t handle the mess, tossing the outgrown clothes in the charity bag and putting the summer ones away for the warmer months. She will also try to solve any problem you have with her grandkids, and as much as you sometimes resent her for this, she’s often right, and you love her for it, too.
And let's be honest – all granny types are awesome, and we and our kids are so, so lucky to have them.
