DEAR ABBY: My wife and I are in our 20s and have the first grandchild on both sides of the family. Naturally, they all want to spend time with her. Because of a divorce/remarriage in the family, there are three sets of grandparents and two sets of great-grandparents. Some of them see her at least twice a week, the rest at least once a week.
Abby, my mother is offended that we asked another grandparent to baby-sit for us once. Another problem is a couple of the grandparents think our 5-month-old daughter should taste adult food. We have advice from nurses about our daughter's care, but the grandparents think they know better than us or the nurses.
We know that it is good for our child to know all her grandparents and that she is special to them, but we need time with her without them.
Please print our letter. Maybe they will recognize themselves, and then my wife will not have to feel guilty for no reason, and perhaps they will back off and let us parent our daughter without our having to move far away. -- YOUNG FATHER IN CANADA
DEAR YOUNG FATHER: With three sets of grandparents competing to see who will spend more time with the child, I don't blame you for feeling overwhelmed. Ignore any advice that conflicts with your pediatrician's -- and establish a strict schedule for them to see your daughter.