Grandpa's wholesome gesture towards grandkids shows how to respect boundaries set by Gen X parents

The younger generation often complains about the older generation or most appropriately, the boomer generation for their ignorance when it comes to maintaining boundaries. They often feel like their parents, grandparents or some older guardian figure is not giving them enough space or overstepping the bounds. Even some Gen Z parents can feel that way and it was beautifully illustrated in a TikTok video posted by Tracy Ellis (@tra.ellis on the platform). It shows her father respecting the boundaries set by her while also having a good time with his grandkids. 

The caption of the video read: "Grandpa over here respecting boundaries by bringing berries. Love him for that." It seems great that the older gentleman is willing to listen and learn about what's best for his grandchildren and he readily corrects himself from spoiling the kids too much which can lead to them developing bad habits. It seems Ellis' father often visits their home where just like any other grandparent, he makes sure to bring sweet treats like candies and chocolate for his grandchildren. But Ellis could see through the developing problem here.

Through the overlay text on the video, Ellis explained the whole situation to her audience. “Whenever my dad stops by our house, he brings treats for my kids like candies and chocolates. I kindly asked him to limit the sugary treats from now on so the kids don't get too used to candy every day,” the overlay text read. The first footage of the grandpa dancing merrily with his grandkid in his lap cut into footage captured by the doorbell camera of Ellis' house which showed him holding boxes of raspberries and strawberries instead of the sugary treats he usually brought for his grandchildren.

The grandpa took note of the advice from his daughter and arrived with some nutritious fruits instead of harmful edibles and this gesture won over the internet. The comments section was flooded with people who appreciated the older gentleman for understanding and respecting the boundaries set by the parents of the kids. @_itsallabouthope_ wrote: "Love this! He found an alternative, a lot of grandparents would be mad that you weren’t letting them ‘have fun’." 

@adriennemarquez2 commented: "My MIL always gives my kids fruit. They get excited when we go to her because of it. And then I try to remind them we have the same fruit at home... must taste better at grandma's place." @kristymezzo added: "I love that he just wants them to have something sweet. I’m just thinking that it sounds like Grandpa had limited candy when he really wanted it and was trying to heal something in himself." @chemicalsister remarked: "Let him bring the candy! My dad used to bring my oldest a sweet treat every time he showed up and that’s one of our fondest memories of him."

Grandchildren who get to spend quality time with their grandparents are extremely lucky. In another similar example, a 5-year-old girl who had lost her father requested her grandpa for a Valentine's Day dance. “This is my 5-year-old daughter,” read the overlay text on the Tiktok video posted by the girl's mother Kelsey Woolverton (@kdub1220). “My husband passed away when she was just 1 year old. Our local gym is holding its annual Valentine’s Day Daddy-Daughter dance." Woolverton goes on to explain some thought-provoking truth, saying, "It breaks my heart that as my journey gets easier, hers get harder. Thank God we’ve got Grandpa. The greatest man we’ve ever known & her best friend!” In the video, her daughter, Austyn shows her grandpa a picture that she drew. 

“There’s a Valentine’s Day Dance,” she tells her grandpa. “Really?” he asks eagerly. “Are you going to it?” Austyn replies with the hard truth, “But we need our dad to go there. My dad is not going to go.” Her grandpa's face drops when he acknowledges it, saying "Right." Austyn falls into his arms asking, "Will you go with me?" The grandpa's face lights up as he readily agrees to the proposal while he pats her back. He asks her one more time questioning if she really wants him to go. “Can I really go with you?” he asked. Austyn coyly nods and smiles. The video has lit up the internet.