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Five Discipline and favouritism

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Abstract

This chapter considers the issues of child discipline and favouritism and ‘the rules’ that apply to the relationship between grandparents and their grandchildren. It asks: 1) does the ‘norm of non-interference’ mean that grandparents should hesitate to discipline their grandchildren? 2) do grandparents often ‘spoil’ grandchildren, and do parents object to the grandparents’ indulgence and lax discipline? 3) are there rules about reprimanding grandchildren when a parent is present? 4) are grandparents who have been asked to provide regular childcare given free rein to discipline their grandchildren as if they were their own children? 5) do parents feel resentful when they learn that their ex-spouse’s parents have reprimanded their child for bad behaviour?

Abstract

This chapter considers the issues of child discipline and favouritism and ‘the rules’ that apply to the relationship between grandparents and their grandchildren. It asks: 1) does the ‘norm of non-interference’ mean that grandparents should hesitate to discipline their grandchildren? 2) do grandparents often ‘spoil’ grandchildren, and do parents object to the grandparents’ indulgence and lax discipline? 3) are there rules about reprimanding grandchildren when a parent is present? 4) are grandparents who have been asked to provide regular childcare given free rein to discipline their grandchildren as if they were their own children? 5) do parents feel resentful when they learn that their ex-spouse’s parents have reprimanded their child for bad behaviour?

Chapters in this book

  1. Front Matter i
  2. Contents iii
  3. Acknowledgements iv
  4. Introduction 1
  5. What do we already know about grandparents? 9
  6. Grandparents’ relationships with grandchildren: continuity and change 21
  7. Activities with grandparents 33
  8. Discipline and favouritism 47
  9. The main grandparents 57
  10. Grandparenting in divorced families: rights and policies 71
  11. Communicating in divorced families 79
  12. Taking sides 89
  13. ‘Being there’: grandparents’ financial, emotional and childcare support 103
  14. Excluded grandparents 121
  15. Conclusions: grandparents and family policy 131
  16. References 145
  17. The families and the research methods 155
  18. Index 161
Grandparenting in divorced families
This chapter is in the book Grandparenting in divorced families
https://doi.org/10.56687/9781847425843-006

Chapters in this book

  1. Front Matter i
  2. Contents iii
  3. Acknowledgements iv
  4. Introduction 1
  5. What do we already know about grandparents? 9
  6. Grandparents’ relationships with grandchildren: continuity and change 21
  7. Activities with grandparents 33
  8. Discipline and favouritism 47
  9. The main grandparents 57
  10. Grandparenting in divorced families: rights and policies 71
  11. Communicating in divorced families 79
  12. Taking sides 89
  13. ‘Being there’: grandparents’ financial, emotional and childcare support 103
  14. Excluded grandparents 121
  15. Conclusions: grandparents and family policy 131
  16. References 145
  17. The families and the research methods 155
  18. Index 161
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