They can't help themselves. Well, sort of. Grandparents enjoy doting on the littles because now they don't have to do the hard work of parenting. Still, it can be infuriating to pick up your child right before dinner only to find out that, lo and behold, Grandpa has given your darling a doughnut, "just because."
Before you get too steamed, know that it's fun to spoil someone you love when you don't have to reap the consequences of said spoiling. Grandpa might not realize it's too close to dinnertime for a doughnut, or if he did realize he might figure a little doughnut can't hurt, although we moms know all too well that a little donut is a big deal right before the dinner hour.
What to Do:
If you know Grandpa can't resist handing out treats to your little one, bring treats that you approve for him to hand out as he wishes. This way, perhaps you can trade that doughnut or cupcake in for a lollipop, which is not as much of an appetite-killer as a doughnut!
Another option? Ask Grandpa to halve his sweets before giving to the kids. Explain that you understand his need to "feed," so to speak, but that he's hurting your child's dinner time appetite, which means he's going to bed hungry, and what Grandpa wants to hear that his grandkid is going to bed on just a measly doughnut?
