Clinical psychologist Dr. Carla Marie Greco wrote this article in response to a specific question from a reader of Hitched magazine, pertaining to how to handle in-laws disregarding the parenting guidelines a mother has set for her children, specifically involving a reward system and healthy eating. The advice is, first, if the in-laws are only around the children infrequently, it may be best to let it slide. Infrequent rule-breaking under specific conditions likely won’t undermine the system that forms their day-to-day routine. If they see the in-laws more frequently, it may be time to talk to the spouse and possibly also talk directly with the in-laws in a neutral setting such as a diner.
Read the full article here: Getting In-Laws to Follow Your Rules