Grandma was too ashamed to visit without a gift. Her grandson's reply left her in tears

Our grandparents have spent years going out of their way to make life easier for everyone around them. They cook, they give, and they always show up with something, because for much of their lives, that’s how love was expressed. But over time, some begin to feel that if they can’t offer anything, they’re somehow a burden. That's what Vincent (@tseitsvincent) realized after a conversation with his grandmother uncovered a truth that left him heartbroken. "My heart broke this morning when grandma told me she's been lying about being too tired to leave the house because she feels ashamed she has nothing to give me when she comes over," he wrote in his Instagram post.

"I told her that her presence is more than enough and I just want her to eat, laugh, and have someone to talk to," he continued. Then he added what many others often forget: "She's been through so much raising so many kids and grandkids, and she deserves to be spoiled." Vincent used the post to reflect on a mindset he sees in many older relatives, saying, "A lot of our grandparents think that they only deserve love when they have something to give," he wrote. And that mindset is not uncommon. A survey conducted by The Senior List revealed that 20% of grandparents felt pressured to give more money to their grandchildren than they could afford, with some even going into debt or delaying retirement to provide support.

Vincent encourages viewers to "take a minute of your day today to remind them that they are loved unconditionally." Viewers were moved by Vincent's love and care for his grandmother, and agreed that grandparents often hide behind excuses out of fear of being a burden. @gloria_sistergb said, "This is very true. We need to recognize their sacrifices and spoil them with our time, our love, and good food. Well done!" @mahinaiki wrote, "I love that you spend time with her and spoil her. I miss my grandma so much! My whole family spoiled her as much as we could when we had her." @shufangnicole added, Way to go!! I could see that your grandma is beaming with joy, and she must be so proud of you!! Treasure these precious moments!"

Many shared similar stories about their own grandparents. @chen.nionio wrote, "My grandma has been the same recently… with age, she has become more insecure and now she tells my brother and me to not bother travelling to visit her. Now every time I see her, I need to remind her that I actually want to see her and spend time with her." @thereallexicom added, "My grandma said she doesn't want to go to Egypt. She does... she thought she'd be a burden to me and my aunts while traveling. The way I wanted to cry when I heard her admit that. Took me a bit of convincing, but we're going." @highhopes501 penned, "I took care of my grandmother for many years before she passed away in 2020. It was hard work, but such a joy to give back to her after she took care of me and my brothers. She was my best friend. You are blessed to have her!"

You can follow Vincent (@tseitsvincent) on Instagram for more vlog-style content.