Anonymous wrote:This was my Grandmother who had strong Narcissist tendencies. She got an idea in her head about how things were "supposed" to be and no one else was allowed to have an opinion- esp children. I was very sensitive and I picked up on this- so I would have picked out something she wanted me to get vs what I really wanted. She was scary to me and I knew stuff like that would set her off.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We recently visited a touristy area with my mom. At the end of the trip, my mom asked to take my DD to a big tourist shop to pick out something she wanted “to remember the time she spent with grandma on the trip”. DD had her eyes set on these cheap little things that you pop onto Crocs, themed to the general location of where we were. She decided she really wanted one as her souvenir. My mom was hoping she’d pick out a keychain or tshirt from the location, and was hurt? upset? annoyed? that DD didn’t choose something with the location name on it that would make DD “think of her and the trip” when she wore/looked at it. DD was confused because she WOULD think of grandma when she looked at her Crocs. It was a really bizarre interaction. I didn’t want to start a fight (because knowing my mom, it would have) but I wanted to ask why she didn’t just surprise DD with the T-shirt or whatever she had in mind instead of allowing her to choose and then gripe about what she chose.

What was going on here? I’d love to understand what was going through my mom’s head.

I’m calling shenanigans on the bolded. It was a bit of a loophole (not really in the spirit of a typical souvenir and probably something she collects unrelated to travel). My DD would have done the same thing if given the same opportunity to pick something out of a gift shop. And when I was a kid I would have too (whatever generic plastic junk I was gaga for at the time anyway). This doesn’t excuse your mom’s pouting, or her failure to set the rules she clearly had in her head about a “correct” souvenir, but I can see the disconnect.

What? No dude. I can remember my trips and the people we were with from any type of object. It doesn't have to say WILLIAMSBURG on it. Not everyone likes "typical" souvenirs- I think they are tacky.

Anonymous wrote:You mother is the star and writer of The Grandma Show. On this episode, the family went on a child-centric vacation (was it gatorland? for some reason, i'm picturing this happening at gatorland). Everyone was having a good time but Grandma, because people weren't paying enough attention to her.

But Grandma is the star of the show, so she got to work making herself the center of attention. She cast herself in the role of Generous Granny, buying her granddaughter any souvenir she wanted.

But alas! Granddaughter picked the wrong souvenir! A gator charm for her crocs instead of a gator keychain?? Poor Grandma. Such a generous soul and so poorly treated by the granddaughter who had the gall to pick something she liked.

"She'll never remember me and the wonderful time we had watching chickens get fed to gators! when she looks at her shoes she will only think of merrily zooming down the Gator zipline!" Grandma exclaims, crying crocodile tears.

Everyone anxiously reassures Grandma they love her. Grandma turns to look out dreamily towards the camera, happy that all eyes are on her (for now)...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We recently visited a touristy area with my mom. At the end of the trip, my mom asked to take my DD to a big tourist shop to pick out something she wanted “to remember the time she spent with grandma on the trip”. DD had her eyes set on these cheap little things that you pop onto Crocs, themed to the general location of where we were. She decided she really wanted one as her souvenir. My mom was hoping she’d pick out a keychain or tshirt from the location, and was hurt? upset? annoyed? that DD didn’t choose something with the location name on it that would make DD “think of her and the trip” when she wore/looked at it. DD was confused because she WOULD think of grandma when she looked at her Crocs. It was a really bizarre interaction. I didn’t want to start a fight (because knowing my mom, it would have) but I wanted to ask why she didn’t just surprise DD with the T-shirt or whatever she had in mind instead of allowing her to choose and then gripe about what she chose.

What was going on here? I’d love to understand what was going through my mom’s head.

I’m calling shenanigans on the bolded. It was a bit of a loophole (not really in the spirit of a typical souvenir and probably something she collects unrelated to travel). My DD would have done the same thing if given the same opportunity to pick something out of a gift shop. And when I was a kid I would have too (whatever generic plastic junk I was gaga for at the time anyway). This doesn’t excuse your mom’s pouting, or her failure to set the rules she clearly had in her head about a “correct” souvenir, but I can see the disconnect.

Anonymous wrote:We recently visited a touristy area with my mom. At the end of the trip, my mom asked to take my DD to a big tourist shop to pick out something she wanted “to remember the time she spent with grandma on the trip”. DD had her eyes set on these cheap little things that you pop onto Crocs, themed to the general location of where we were. She decided she really wanted one as her souvenir. My mom was hoping she’d pick out a keychain or tshirt from the location, and was hurt? upset? annoyed? that DD didn’t choose something with the location name on it that would make DD “think of her and the trip” when she wore/looked at it. DD was confused because she WOULD think of grandma when she looked at her Crocs. It was a really bizarre interaction. I didn’t want to start a fight (because knowing my mom, it would have) but I wanted to ask why she didn’t just surprise DD with the T-shirt or whatever she had in mind instead of allowing her to choose and then gripe about what she chose.

What was going on here? I’d love to understand what was going through my mom’s head.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You mother is the star and writer of The Grandma Show. On this episode, the family went on a child-centric vacation (was it gatorland? for some reason, i'm picturing this happening at gatorland). Everyone was having a good time but Grandma, because people weren't paying enough attention to her.

But Grandma is the star of the show, so she got to work making herself the center of attention. She cast herself in the role of Generous Granny, buying her granddaughter any souvenir she wanted.

But alas! Granddaughter picked the wrong souvenir! A gator charm for her crocs instead of a gator keychain?? Poor Grandma. Such a generous soul and so poorly treated by the granddaughter who had the gall to pick something she liked.

"She'll never remember me and the wonderful time we had watching chickens get fed to gators! when she looks at her shoes she will only think of merrily zooming down the Gator zipline!" Grandma exclaims, crying crocodile tears.

Everyone anxiously reassures Grandma they love her. Grandma turns to look out dreamily towards the camera, happy that all eyes are on her (for now)...

You are seriously amazing! Yes, please do the other threads!

Gosh, you guys. Don't egg her on. She's got a lot of screws loose and it is annoying AF to see her ageism repeated on every.single.thread. Encourage her to get therapy, instead! That would be much better for her and all of us, too.