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Grandparenting

Invisible Step-Granny

(57 Posts)
SMA1218 Tue 28-May-24 03:17:07

I have been married for 22 years. My husband's ex-wife is also remarried for 22 years to her current husband. I will call her Judee. Judee is unable to restrain herself from intruding when I happen to be at a our grandchildren’s party, ball game etc. She is a bit sly about it all, but she is annoying. For example, (one of many similar situations) We show up at a birthday party. The moment she sees us come in, or the moment we walk over to say hello to the kids, she hovers in the space near us regardless of how large the venue is and then Judee transforms into Grandma Extraordinaire. She starts speaking loudly in a sing song voice, and begins using ridiculous superlatives as she practices soliloquy techniques, and speaks out into the universe near us so that we can hear whatever she is saying. I might be bending down to give the 4-year-old a hug, and in the very near background I hear Judee harping over me interrupting our interaction with something like, "Oh, isn’t she so precious in her lovely sparkling dress, isn't she just gorgeous?" Speaking to no one in particular.
Same party, we decided to leave a bit early and asked if we could let the party girl sit with us in a spot off to the side to open our present for her. My stepdaughter is most agreeable and said, "Sure" We sit down while everyone else is playing and visiting. The moment Judee sees my husband and I sit down with the child, Judee is bounding over, "Oh, is she opening her presents now?" My Stepdaughter says, "No, My Dad and Granny are just letting her open their present." Judee takes a position just above where we are sitting and commentate the entire present opening right down instructing her to tear the paper and to asking the child if she loves it and loudly expressing her opinion to the universe of the "extraordinary" gift.
In addition, we have quit telling my step-daughter when we will be at games, and now we just show up because if she mentions it to her mother in passing, Judee will be there every time doing her best Mary Poppins. She just can't help herself. I am waiting for her to break out in song and dance one day.
Before you chide my husband, we are both at a bit of a lose as to how to make her go away since she is pouring on the nicey nicey, singy songy, with the kids all the while ignoring me, speaking over me, and interrupting any meaningful interaction that I have with the kids.
After trying to ignore her rudeness for years now, I have decided that the next time she hovers and interrupts I am going to stand straight up and say, "Oh my, I am so rude. Did I interrupt yours and Child's conversation or interaction? Excuse me, I will come back when you are finished." I have decided to us my feet to remove myself from the situation. Any helpful suggestion on how to handle a rude interloper who just can't accept that her children and grandchildren actually love me and vice versa. They often come to our house, and all is well and normal when Judee is nowhere to be seen.
It is good just to vent and to put something out on the internet that might help other people as there is a dearth of information about how to handle exes after grandkids come along. She has always ignored me, so this is nothing new. Thank you in advance for helpful kind comments.

Macadia Tue 28-May-24 03:34:27

I am sorry SMA1218 I don't have any wise words to give you but it sounds dreadful. Thank you for posting. I hope others can give you advice because I cannot. But HUGS for you.

SMA1218 Tue 28-May-24 03:42:40

Yes, I know. What a quagmire of a situation. There is no precedent for this type of behavior.

Grandmabatty Tue 28-May-24 06:14:48

I wouldn't say anything to her, if it was me. If she's as dramatic as she seems to be, that could go badly. In addition, she's your step daughter's mum so that also has challenges. I would ignore her performances. My son in law's father is very much competitive grandad and I'm polite but I don't engage in his antics. My elder grandson loves his grandad very much and it's clear he is his favourite grandparent. I am the favourite of dgs2 at the moment but it all can change. You risk making your step daughter having to defend her mum and fracturing your relationship

GrannyIvy Tue 28-May-24 07:47:35

I’m sorry it sounds so difficult and don’t know what to advise except carry on being you and try to ignore her when she is around. Hope it gets easier to manage her. My son in law’s mother has always pushed me out at family do’s and makes me feel like horrible grandma. I ignore her and smile. The GC love her, my daughter thinks she is perfect so best just to keep quiet!

Urmstongran Tue 28-May-24 07:57:41

Blimey - so Judee remarried 22 years ago and still wants to be numero uno grandma front & centre. It’s in her DNA and you’ll never change her so don’t try. Irritating though she is to the highest degree, ignore her and keep it zipped. She WILL come out on top by fair means or foul so learn to roll your eyes, shrug and move away from her. You have enough family gatherings without her it seems so accept what you DO have instead of focusing on what you don’t. If you make this into a drama you’ll look silly after all this time and your family could fracture. Don’t risk it I’d say.

ginny Tue 28-May-24 08:06:59

I don’t think it is worth saying anything although I understand how annoying it must be.
You are obviously accepted in the family otherwise.
Just enjoy your visits when she is not there, don’t make it into a competition.

Oopsadaisy1 Tue 28-May-24 08:10:16

I sympathise, but she isn’t an Interloper, she is the child’s biological Grandmother and your step daughters Mother, so you will have to grin and bear it, rise above it.

CvD66 Tue 28-May-24 08:13:27

How sad this woman sounds! From your description, she really sounds insecure and feels inadequate to you and your husband. As you say, it is different when the children are on their own with you, so do enjoy that. If you begin to see Judee as someone who is unable to behave differently, you might find it easier to tolerate. You and your husband could even rate her behaviour when you have left, to get rid of your frustration with her eg: she was a real 9/10 today wasn’t she!! Rather than letting her behaviour rile her, be ready for it and feel sorry for her. That she needs to behave like this after so many years is really, really sad.

Septimia Tue 28-May-24 08:19:59

As others have said, rise above it. Be pleasant and polite to everyone and let her go on making a fool of herself. If you've noticed it, other people will have too.

LottieLouise Tue 28-May-24 08:34:29

I know our grandchildren love me so I have no worries about what the other grandparents are doing when I am in their company, I just let them get on with it. Our grandchildren open their presents one after the other in front of all the family so it does not bother me that our present is just one of many.

All that matters is that you are at the party with everyone else but do not think for one moment that what your step daughter's mum is doing does not go unnoticed by everyone else, these antics of hers have not just started, this is the person she is and perhaps why your husband divorced her.

Just keep quiet about it, you do not want to cause trouble with your step daughter over a stupid woman who I think feels insecure in her own life. Just enjoy the get togethers, they don't last long.

V3ra Tue 28-May-24 08:36:37

Is it just possible that Judee feels a little bit inadequate or lacking in confidence where you're concerned, so she feels she has to make a song and dance about everything?
I notice she doesn't say anything negative about you or the present you gave your granddaughter.
You could always try a reverse psychology approach with her and greet her like a long lost friend 🤗

You don't mention your son-in-law's parents, are these grandparents also at the children's parties?

Smileless2012 Tue 28-May-24 09:07:17

I agree with all of the responses you've received SMA. Don't say or do anything as doing so could impact on the relationship you have with your step daughter.

Others will see what she's doing and may well admire you for your patience, including her D.

NotSpaghetti Tue 28-May-24 09:14:51

Your grandchild/grandchildren will eventually see it.
Just love them as you do.
They know - and that's the main thing.

Try to make her irrelevant in your mind.
flowers

eazybee Tue 28-May-24 09:28:09

Fact: Judee is the child's biological grandmother and you are not.
Accept it and stop trying to make it an issue, or are you really intending to spoil the next family gathering involving the grandchild?
(I am a step-grandmother, and have been received with nothing but kindness and civility from all sides of the family.)

Shelflife Tue 28-May-24 09:30:58

The mist important thing is to treasure and maintain the relationship you have with your SD. I can understand fully how this makes you feel , she sounds horrendous and very insecure. She is their GM nothing can change that but she ought to be able to appreciate the love you have for your step GC. Enjoy the time you have with your GC when she is not there. Be assured other people will have noticed her behaviour and will be aware of how you feel. Any obvious bad feelings between you and her will be picked up on by the children and that is not good. When she intrudes on your time with GC simply remove yourself from her as easily and quickly as possible. You obviously see your GC when she is not there , enjoy that and
good luck.

JaneJudge Tue 28-May-24 09:35:05

you need to do what you are doing and take no notice of her flowers she isn't going to change

eazybee Tue 28-May-24 11:37:20

I have just noticed the 'rude interloper 'comment.
Really?
How childish you are.

DiamondLily Tue 28-May-24 11:54:28

She’s not really an interloper - she’s the child’s “birth” granny.

There will often be underlying tensions in this sort of thing. Blended families are fine, but they are not always straightforward.

I would rise above it. If you create an issue, you don’t know what way your step-daughter would jump.😗

Callistemon21 Tue 28-May-24 11:59:31

A question: did your DH leave Judee for you? Or had they split up before you met?
It could be a reason for her if she feels inadequate.

Otherwise - some people just like to be Queen Bee and there's nothing you can do except grin (nicely) and bear it.

Hithere Tue 28-May-24 12:43:59

Adding to what callistemom said

The competition game doesn't work if one of the players doesn't want to play it

Hithere Tue 28-May-24 12:45:18

Forgot to say- she might want to get a reaction from you and she is succeeding.

Theexwife Tue 28-May-24 12:58:05

Maybe that is just her personality and she is like that all the time, it is you that sees it as competition.

SMA1218 Wed 29-May-24 01:05:04

Oopsadaisy1

I sympathise, but she isn’t an Interloper, she is the child’s biological Grandmother and your step daughters Mother, so you will have to grin and bear it, rise above it.

I only mean that she is an Interloper into my personal space and personal interactions. I most definitely have understood for 22 years where my place is.

SMA1218 Wed 29-May-24 01:06:27

Theexwife

Maybe that is just her personality and she is like that all the time, it is you that sees it as competition.

No, she is not like this all the time. She only does this to me; otherwise, she appears quite normal.