DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: I have been catching it from my wife and daughter about my not wanting to change diapers or bathe or feed my new granddaughter.
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Truth is my wife did all those things for our own babies without hardly any help from me because the nature of my work meant she had to carry most of the childcare load. Even when I got out of the service while our kids were still little, I went to work for a long-haul trucking company, which I stayed at until I retired.
I have tried to pitch in some when we have our granddaughter over, but I get told I am not doing it right, so between that and being lacking in experience, I find it is much easier to step back and let the ladies do their thing. And then I get in trouble for that too!
I really do want to help, especially because this is my chance to do the baby duty I missed out on all those years ago. But what is a new Grandpa to do? --- NEW GRANDPA
DEAR NEW GRANDPA: I think it’s time you openly tell your wife and daughter that you truly want to help but feel less than prepared for the job of caring for your baby granddaughter.
You can still probably expect them to give you a little flack, but hopefully they’ll also provide you with some necessary on-the-job-training.
Don’t be shy about asking why things are or aren’t done a certain way. Such questions may prove useful to you and provide the ladies with a chance to explain the reasons behind what they do.