What is the line between proud parent and obnoxious braggy parent?

Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP here. I have a 3 year old and a 1 year old and they are achieving all kinds of milestones: first snowman, Christmas lights, the one year old memorizing books and demanding to "read" them, kids dancing to new songs, sometimes singing new songs or making up new ones, all kinds of stuff. 3 year old is trying to write letters now so that's exciting. But I'm probably overwhelming them, especially the in laws with kids of their own


A lot of these things are pretty mundane. You don't need to update your in laws every time they learn a new song.


I’ll be the contrarian. I think my in-laws would be hurt if I were only sending kid photos to my parents. I make sure to include them on stuff too. I mean I think it’s a safe bet most grandparents (maternal or paternal side) want to see snow day pics of their grandchildren. From what I’ve heard, being a grandparent is pretty awesome. All the cute kid stuff without the day to day responsibility!
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP here. I have a 3 year old and a 1 year old and they are achieving all kinds of milestones: first snowman, Christmas lights, the one year old memorizing books and demanding to "read" them, kids dancing to new songs, sometimes singing new songs or making up new ones, all kinds of stuff. 3 year old is trying to write letters now so that's exciting. But I'm probably overwhelming them, especially the in laws with kids of their own


A lot of these things are pretty mundane. You don't need to update your in laws every time they learn a new song.


I’ll be the contrarian. I think my in-laws would be hurt if I were only sending kid photos to my parents. I make sure to include them on stuff too. I mean I think it’s a safe bet most grandparents (maternal or paternal side) want to see snow day pics of their grandchildren. From what I’ve heard, being a grandparent is pretty awesome. All the cute kid stuff without the day to day responsibility!


I think although I'm not sure that when people were saying not to include the in laws, they didn't mean the other set of grandparents, just in laws like sisters and brothers in law (aka aunts and uncles).

That being said, if the grandparents aren't responding at all, it may be a signal you are sending too many texts even to them.
Anonymous
OP here. Wow I didn't realize how much my comment would get analyzed. I really just did that post on a whim and just listed the first few things that came to my mind, and I do think that the kids helping put up Christmas lights or building their first snowman are accomplishments but maybe that's not worth sharing. I've also done counting videos, and adding and subtraction videos, both fake reading (with my toddler) videos and real reading videos (with my preschooler), particularly of the books that the family gave us, things like telling time, and doing puzzles, drawing shapes and trying to write letters. Its all stuff that makes me proud.

Most of my friends don't have kids so I'm not so eager to go and brag to them about it. I'm also not on social media so FB and IG aren't really options. So if the family wants to see my kids (especially in the pandemic) its through these videos I share. In my mind these are all things that are great moments in a child's (and a parent's) life and I just want to share it.

But we'll see. I'll sleep on it and maybe I'll be a bit more strict on what I share with the family. I do generally ask about their well being (especially since we're in a pandemic) and see if there are things I can do to help them or just call them so we can talk to the grandparents and the cousins can talk to each other.
Anonymous
Op it’s fine to share with grandparents as everyone said. I don’t think there is too much for most grandparents (both your own and your partners parents). I do think too much if this is aunt and uncles. I’m sure the grandparents are happy to see the videos, we share often with grandparents too of cute videos. It may be your wording that is turning people off. I would share a picture or video of my preschooler making a snowman with grandparents for sure! I just personally don’t consider it an “accomplishment” or call it that, it’s just something cute and fun he did. And we don’t do a lot of focus on things like writing letters or things like that, but would definitely send a cute dancing video! I think it’s just your framing that is getting people hung up. And that aunts and uncles with their own kids may be ok with some but def not all most likely.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My mom said she wouldn’t buy my son a genius shirt because it was “too close to home”. LOL. Kid is great, but not a genius. Grandparents think their grandkids are amazing, and love anecdotes that prove their point.

Haha. My MIL went ahead and bought my daughter a shirt that says genius on it. I make sure it only gets worn at home or to the grandparents' house.


Ha!
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