Showers for Grandmoos...think about that one :wtf :faint

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Yahoo craziness
It could be argued that the act of welcoming a baby is just as exciting for the entire family as it is for the new parents. Now, a new trend celebrates this enthusiasm: Baby showers with grandma as the guest of honor are on the rise. Just like a party for a mom-to-be, grandbaby showers typically have tongue-in-cheek games like pin the “No. 1 grandma” ribbon on the baby’s butt (Not to worry, it's just a poster.), along with the requisite diaper towers, theme cakes, and, of course, mountains of presents.

For those in favor of grandparent showers, the consensus is largely that it’s practical and logical, especially for family members who will be spending a lot of time taking care of the new addition. One reason for the rise of the get-togethers, according to pregnancy and parenting blog The Bump, is that more baby boomers are taking on the role of nanny to their grandchildren. Just like parents of infants, grandparents who intend to babysit a lot need all of the essentials for childcare, such as highchairs, strollers, and car seats.

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Others say, "Fuck off, Grandmoo!"
But along with the excitement over the soon-to-be-grandma gatherings come the detractors, with many calling it tacky and tasteless.

“I don’t think moms-to-be would be behind it either, if they knew that once their child was born, their sweet, sweet mother is going to turn into a know-it-all micromanager,” Maria Guido writes on Mommyish.com. “... If you’re pregnant, baby showers are pretty much the last time that anything is going to be all about you. Soon, baby will come into the world, and everyone is going to forget that you exist for a while. Step off, grandma. Right?”


Most of the mommy blogosphere seems to agree with Guido. “... This feels like my mother appropriating the birth of my child and making it her own or about her,” one woman expels on a post on EtiquetteHell.com (a site that compiles firsthand stories from people venting about offensive interactions). She also calls the activity in general “appallingly gimme-piggish” and “presumptuous.”

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popculturejunkie

I actually agree with that last part, believe it or not. wink I still think the concept of showers (bridal AND baby) is nothing more than a glorified gift grab. If you know you're either getting hitched or hatching a crumb-bumbler, you should already have your shit together.

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learnernotlurker
We've discussed this topic on this board several times already. Plenty of grandmoos-to-be are holding showers for themselves at their workplaces as well as at their homes. The premise is that the moomy finds it too much a hassle to lug bottles, toys, diapers, clothes, fold-up crib, etc., every time she and kid visit Grandmoo, so Grandmoo should have her own supply of everything.

I'll concede my mother did shell out for duplicates of everything to save my breeder sister from schlepping. But my mother paid for everything herself. Grandmother showers were (mercifully) unheard-of then.

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cassia
TRANSLATION:
Gift Grab

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learnernotlurker
We've discussed this topic on this board several times already.

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popcornculturejunkie

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learnernotlurker
We've discussed this topic on this board several times already.

We've discussed pretty much everything else under the sun several times, too. I'm sorry I decided not to thread-mine for this particular topic.

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Dorisan
Talk about a train wreck site. I've already been on there for two hours eyes2

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StudioFiftyFour
Today? The couples are typically much older and in my neck of the woods, most ask for cash. That's right--"I'm getting married so you should pay me.

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Ketchup


I totally agree about the registry thing, especially if you're in your 30s, 40s or older - you should not only already have all of those housewares, but you should be able to afford any that you don't already have between the two of you. IF people want to give you gifts, money, or whatever, fine. For older folks, I've seen some really expensive stuff on registries, since they already have the cutlery, plates, toaster, etc. A couple I know in their 30's bought a half-million dollar house right before their wedding and still had the nerve to ask for pricey crap on their registry!

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Dorisan

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popcornculturejunkie

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learnernotlurker
We've discussed this topic on this board several times already.

We've discussed pretty much everything else under the sun several times, too. I'm sorry I decided not to thread-mine for this particular topic.

Meh. Not a big deal. It demonstrates that we have new people coming to the board when they read of such things and want to discuss them.

However ... and maybe it's because some of my favorite train wreck sites are the mother-in-law boards; I've come across dozens of stories about the "duplicate nursery;" most new mothers don't like it. They come to those boards specifically to tell the story of how their MILs and mothers inform - don't ask - inform, the young women that they have everything set up for the newborn and are ready to "help out" with the child rearing duties. It basically comes down to an older generation version of baby rabies. Or, it's because the grandma-to-be is a narcissist and resents all the attention now flowing to the next generation of women in the family. They never get over the udder rubs that must now be a part of the past, a new woman in the family is the center of attention for having given birth.

There's a conversation going on here about it right now.

Talk about a train wreck site. I've already been on there for two hours eyes2

ETA: sorry, that was the original story. The update is here