Parents, I need your input.

When it comes to the close aunties and other alloparents in your kids’ lives, where do you feel comfortable with aunties bending your family rules, and where do you NOT want them to overstep?

For example, it’s a long and glorious auntie tradition to somewhat spoil and indulge kids — buy them unnecessary stuff, feed them snacks they’re not usually allowed to have, “one more chapter” at bedtime, manage behavior through small bribes, etc. — but where are the areas you definitely DON’T want aunties, grandparents, friends of the family, et al making judgment calls without your consent?

I could imagine, like, don’t get them a dog. Don’t skip nap time. Maybe don’t show them scary movies. Don’t keep secrets. What else? Are there specific areas or whole domains where crossing the line is not okay?

I’m working on some guidelines for aunties about where our boundaries need to be…

P.S. Come check out The Auntie Bulletin! theauntie.substack.com