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AIBU?

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Grandparents always letting my young children down

27 replies

Anon662120622 · 27/09/2025 10:50

Would I be unreasonable to cut contact?

My parents have said they would come see my children all of about 10 times over the last few months, It comes to the day and they cancel.. I'm not talking about looking after them, just visiting for an hour or two to see them.

My three and five year old absolutely adore their grandparents (god knows how as they never see them.) Every time I tell them they're going to see them they get so excited, then I have to deal with the tears. I've stopped telling them that they're planning on coming over as I know they'll most likely cancel. I'll be on face time with my mum and she will say she's going to come see them so that's how they know when their let down. I was actually on the phone to my mum the other day, my little boy asked if he could come see Grandad to which he just replied "no" in quite and abrasive voice then said he'd see them the next day.

I can't take them to go visit them because they have allowed my druggy brother to move back in, I refuse to have them around him. - understandable right? The last excuse for not coming to see them was because they wanted to rearrange for next week because they had to take my brother to a universal credit appointment that day. He's 29 years old so they're prioritsing their druggy son over their grandchildren.

My in-laws are absolutely incredible, they cannot get enough of their grand babies and actually ASK to have them on a regular basis. Seeing how amazing they are and how strong their bond is just makes me so angry at my parents for being the way they are.

My children always come first and I feel that if they're treating them like this, should I really let them keep doing this time and time again? Also worth noting that they live minutes down the road from us.

OP posts:
Sliceofbattenberg · 27/09/2025 11:00

My parents are differently but equally rubbish and I think we do need to protect our kids from disappointment. Stop talking to your parents on the phone when the kids are there. If they want to come round and talk to you, they can.

PollyBell · 27/09/2025 10:58

You cant control people like this it seems on here all the time when people have children they think everyone else's lives stop and they must do whatever the parent has decided on

They are not chess pieces who come out of the box to suit your needs