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[quote=Anonymous]My parents live pretty local to us. They like to be involved in their grandkids' lives, which is a relationship I try to foster between them. However, the way they behave at things like my kids' sports games or other events is embarrassing to me.

Take today, for example. My daughter is on a new softball team this season because her old softball team disbanded. I know one of the other families, and am trying to make small talk to get to know some of the others. My parents arrive and stand directly next to me and talk out loud about the other kids ("that kid looks like she doesn't even want to be here...what's the story with that?"--about the girl at bat, or "a lot of these kids must be younger than DD because they're so small"). It's not necessarily that what they're saying is terrible in a vacuum, but just the fact that they're making comments in front of people who may or may not be their parents or close to them or whatever is just really socially clueless to me. They also won't give me any space, and come stand directly next to me and will interrupt conversations I'm having to ask me a question. My mom also started talking loudly about DD's birthday party in a few weeks within earshot of the one family we do know, but we didn't invite the girl because we're doing a smaller party this year and this girl isn't one of DD's closest friends.

This is not anything related to getting older for them. They've been this way for my whole life. You know when you're a teenager and you cringe at being with your parents in public? That's how I used to feel and still feel as an adult.

When I've brought these things up with them, they get very offended and don't see what's wrong with what they talk about in front of others I'm trying to form relationships with. They play the victim about it and I have to hear about how much I've hurt them when they're just trying to support their grandkids. I know people are going to say I need to stop giving the game details. I've tried to give the game info at the last minute so that there might be a scheduling conflict for them, but they pretty much clear their Saturdays during sports seasons so they're able to attend games. They also don't just accept not getting the details--they will ask me over and over until I provide the information. If I say that I won't provide details unless they stop being socially clueless it will create serious chaos for me.

Does anyone else experience this? How do you navigate this kind of situation?

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