Grandad drives friend crazy with excessive bragging about ‘gifted’ grandson

Grandkids are often the light of their grandparents lives. They are showered with gifts and spoilt rotten at every possible opportunity and thanks to the sheer joy they bring into nanny and pop’s lives are often a hot topic of discussion. 

However, while most grandparents love to regale tales of their grandkids’ achievements, one grandad has pushed it slightly too far with his excessive bragging and is beginning to drive his friend mad.

Taking to online forum Gransnet, the frustrated friend explained that her gentleman pal can’t keep a lid on it when it comes to his grandson, who has been described as “exceptional” and “gifted”.

“He’s an extremely bright child, and is a very charming and engaging little chap, which to my mind is more important than his astronomical IQ,” she explained. “His mum handles him very well, and has been known to gently remind him of his manners if he tries to be too much of a ‘smart ass’.

“My problem is that my friend talks about the little boy’s achievements non-stop, even to complete strangers at dinner parties or other social events, and if someone else talks about their grandchild, he always cuts in has to better them. I’m beginning to find it rather embarrassing.”

Admitting that while her grandchildren are too the centre of her existence, the woman said her friend has taken it too far and she is yearning for a conversation about something else.

“I know he’s not unique, I’ve met other grandparents who can talk about nothing other than their amazing little ones. It’s good that they feel that way, but I find myself gritting my teeth and having the urge to shout ‘oh DO stop banging on!’,” she wrote on the post.

The gran’s frustration was met with a number of suggestions from fellow forum users with many saying she should just be blunt and tell him how she feels.

“Aye. He’s needing tellt! As my grandmother (might have said if she’d let her guard down!),” one person commented.

“‘Oh DO stop banging in!’ ought to do the trick??” another added.

While others had some more genuine advice to put the bragging to an end and help the woman rekindle her friendship.

“Give him three pennies to put in his right hand pocket and tell him to move one over to the left hand pocket every time he mentions his grandson. When all the pennies are gone he’s not allowed to say any more about his grandson. It might bring home to him what a bore he’s become,” one gran suggested.

A second added: “How about banning the subject of grandchildren from all conversations when you get together in the future? Then he won’t feel he is being cut out for special attention.”

What are your thoughts on the situation? Do you find it hard to stop talking about your grandkids?