Re: Merci, merci monsieur, grand merci!

I can't believe you are this cynical. I had little to do with any of my grandparents but from what I have seen most grandparents love their grandchildren for who they are. They tend to spoil them with their affection and little presents because they love them.

Thanking you for taking my bait, sir. Yes, I agree, but so do we. That doesn't mean that either grandparents or ourselves are entirely innocent of trying to win the child's affection in our own way though. Do you think grandparents just give their grandkids stuff because it's something to do? Hell no! They want to keep them happy, which will assure that the kids will want to come over and see them again. Ah, but when WE do that, it's grooming.

They also are not in the position, mostly, of their parents who have to discipline them sometimes and hence will not always apear as 'loving'.

But even so, many parents I know aren't spilling over with affection for their children. I'm not saying they don't care about their kids, but a lot of them seem to take it for granted that kids will love them. They never stop to think that the kids rely on them for their very existence and so obviously they are going to love their parents. Maybe most parents DO realize that, and that's why they are so controlling of their children. At any rate, I know parents talk about unconditional love, but I've yet to see any of them demonstrate it. Most parents place demands on their children for a variety of reasons, not all of them for the benifit of the child.

Children will no doubt suck up to their grandparents, they wouldn't be children otherwise would they? I think children give their affection quite willingly, a few presents etc. doesn't do any harm however, they take advantage.

Precisely. Children are masters of manipulating those who love them, which is why they tend to get so many gifts and treats from us MAAs. They know how to pull our heartstrings to get what they want. Innocent my ass. ;^)