Kids ‘Traumatized’ By Grandpa’s Road Rage Don't Want To Be Around Their Grandparents Anymore
Grandpa really scared his grandkids.
Monkey Business Images | Shutterstock A dad admitted that his kids need some breathing room from their grandparents after being involved in a scary incident with their grandfather, where he displayed road rage while driving them around. Posting about his dilemma to the subreddit "r/AmIOverreacting," the 35-year-old explained that a few weeks ago, his kids, along with his wife, were all in the car with his dad when he had a particularly bad road rage incident.
Understandably, everyone was shaken up, and now the kids are struggling to process what happened. They have expressed that they don't want to be around their grandparents right now, but unfortunately, Grandma and Grandpa are putting the onus on their son, claiming he is keeping the kids from them.
A dad said his kids were 'traumatized' by their grandpa's road rage and don't want to be around their grandparents anymore.
"About 8 weeks ago, I was at work when I received a video call from my partner, and 12 and 8 year old children absolutely beside themselves. They had met my father for some food and he was driving them home. Another driver pulled out in front of him and this enraged my father (who is well known for road rage)," he began in his Reddit post.
Budimir Jevtic | Shutterstock
He explained that his father had proceeded to drive angrily and aggressively on the road afterwards. To make matters worse, he eventually turned on his grandson, shouting at him because he was hiding in the passenger footwell because of how scared he was. Their grandpa was also attempting to console his granddaughter by reassuring her, while still shouting at her brother.
The whole interaction was scary for not only his kids, but his partner as well, who insisted that her father-in-law pull over and let them all out of the car. By this point, he admitted that his partner was "understandably furious."
"I've met my parents twice since and they believe that myself and my partner are keeping the children away from them but I don't know what else to do. My children were so traumatized by the incident that they don't want anything to do with them right now," he continued.
Road rage is a pretty triggering thing for kids to notice, especially if it gets out of control.
Children are incredibly observant and impressionable, meaning witnessing a parent or other family member exhibit scary behavior when it comes to road rage can be difficult for them. Research has shown that it can alter the perception they have of their parent or the adult behind the wheel. They can also display behavioral changes, including exhibiting similar behaviors in their social interactions, perpetuating a cycle of hostility and poor emotional regulation.
Witnessing road rage can also increase a child’s stress levels. Loud arguments, harsh words, and tense situations create an atmosphere of fear, which may lead to long-term emotional issues like anxiety or difficulty managing their own anger.
One of the consequences of a child witnessing a parent or family member having road rage can even be the erosion of family relationships and dynamics, especially if it's a regular occurrence. This grandpa is the perfect example of that.
The grandparents blamed their son for keeping the grandkids from them.
"My mother feels that my father has red mist and it's just one of those things. I'm really upset that this even happened and that my parents have put me in this position. Both of them feel that they're sorry that this has happened but it's for me to sort out now," he said. "Am I overreacting or am I right to maintain some breathing space while we figure this out?"
Needless to say, his parents aren't trying to pass the buck rather than take ownership of the incident. As one commenter noted, "He won’t take accountability and your mother is an enabler. I would lay the law that he needs to take some accountability before you will talk to your kids about meeting him again but you will not be forcing anything."
Frankly, if his kids are too frightened to see their grandparents, there's nothing he can do to change their minds. He could just force them to, but that might make things worse. They need to get over the incident on their own time, and space might be the best way for that to happen.
On top of that, it's high time he had an honest conversation with his parents about his father's behavior. Those grandkids deserve an apology. They also deserve a grandpa who knows how to regulate his emotions. Suggest anger management or even therapy as a good starting point for rehabilitating the relationship.
For now, his kids are afraid of their grandfather, and they should not be subjected to that. As a parent, his job is to protect them, and for now, that means giving them the security to know they don't have to be in that situation again.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
