Dear Bok Unnie:
I love my in-laws and appreciate when they come to visit us, but they completely disregard our deliberate method of parenting by spoiling their grandkids with unlimited screen time and junk food. How do I tell them that this is not good for the kids?
Signed,
Frustrated with Family
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Dear Frustrated with Family,
I have a rule when it comes to Korean grandparents. They can do whatever they want! These people survived a war. They likely came to this country with nothing and raised someone that you thought was good enough to marry. So what if they want to spoil their grandkids? It’s not like they’re giving your kids cigarettes.
Sit down with your kids and tell them why normal house rules don’t apply when the grandparents are visiting. Tell them about how much the grandparents suffered, how much they endured toiling to make a life in a country where everything was foreign. And that because of this, grandma and grandpa have earned the right to make their own rules when they visit.
