Did you know that this Sunday is Grandparent's Day?
Nope, me neither. But c'mon now, I'll be having none of that cynicism about how such things are marketing ploys designed to guilt trip us into parting with our hard-earned cash. We're talking about grandparents here. They're pretty worth celebrating, no?
Here's the thing, though. A new report released today revealed that most British children prefer their granny to their own mother. The research was carried out by Families Online and found that 52 percent of British children prefer their granny to their own mum.
Why? According to mums, the main reasons for kids preferring granny are that she spoils the kids (79 per cent), they tend to get their own way with her (50 per cent) and she's a better cook (20 per cent).
Oof.
The organisation says researchers took an in-depth look at how busy lives and hectic schedules mean grandmothers are having a bigger influence than ever on family life.
That said, this isn't something the kids themselves said but their mums. It's mums who feel that their kids are more devoted to granny than they are to them. Aw, that's a bit sad, no?
As someone whose kids are utterly devoted to both their grandmothers, this data doesn't surprise me one little bit. Grannies rule, although I don't reckon mine prefer their grannies to me. At least I hope they don't.
But the facts about how mums feel about being second choice are a little gut-wrenching. Almost half of the mums surveyed (46 per cent) said their child's bias towards granny was largely to do with her being 'less stressed' with the kids, and a further 13 per cent admitted granny has more patience and is better at listening than they are. Over half of the mothers polled (55 per cent) said grandma has more time to dedicate to the children than they do.
Yup, definitely feeling that one. My children's grandmothers have had all three of my kids overnight not just once but twice within recent weeks, and I'd be truly lost without their love and input in my children's lives. But yes, I'd be worried if I felt my kids were more closely bonded to their grannies than they are to me.
We'd love to hear what you think about this new nugget of data, though. Are you one of those mums who reckons their kids prefer granny over mum?
In recognition of Grandparents' Day this weekend, why not tag a brilliant granny in this post. Just don't let her go thinking the kids love her more than they love you…
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