Granddad Praised for Respecting Mom’s Parenting Boundaries in Sweetest Way

A grandfather has gained the applause of internet users for his creative response to his daughter’s parenting boundary.

A video posted to TikTok by Tracy Ellis (@tra.ellis) shows her father at her door with berries for her children, after she asked him to limit the sweets he typically brings for them. His response is being praised online as an example of a grandparent who respects their child’s parenting choices. The video has gone viral since it was posted, receiving over 3.3 million views, 702,000 likes and more than 6,500 comments.

“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,” Ellis captioned the video. “Grandpa over here respecting boundaries by bringing berries.”

Ellis, 33, spoke to Newsweek about her father’s gesture and what it means to have a parent respect her boundaries around the raising of her children aged 2, 3, 7, and 13.

Ellis said that, when her dad showed up with berries instead of the usual chocolates, her children were delighted and ate them all immediately.

“My Dad thought it was so sweet how much they loved the fruit, and it instantly became his new ‘must do’ for them,” she added. “I later looked at the camera footage of him showing up with the fruit and just thought it was the sweetest video, capturing what I knew was going to be the beginning of his fruit grandpa era.”

Ellis said that her father came into his role as a grandfather “so naturally”—an organic continuation of the good parenting he embodied as she was growing up.

“I love watching him help make my children’s childhood magical the way he did for me as a child. He’s at every sporting event, quick to help with school pickups or drop offs and doesn’t let a week go by where he doesn’t take them on some kind of adventure,” Ellis said. “He truly is the definition of what a father and grandfather should be.”

The Importance of Setting—and Respecting—Boundaries

Ellis said that the need to set clear boundaries with her parents regarding her children has recently become more pertinent: Her parents have just begun the process of building an addition onto Ellis’ home to live in.

“We are starting to shift into what will be a new normal as far as boundaries go,” she said. “Capturing him bringing the berries instead of more candy or chocolate felt like the beginning of that new normal.”

Ellis added that respecting boundaries doesn’t need to come with fanfare. Her father’s gesture, small and worked into the day-to-day of their lives, still makes a massive impact.

“It proved how easy it can be to make small changes to our everyday routine to make everyone feel happy, loved and respected,” she said.

Users online agreed. “She did not limit his ability to be the G-pa who brings treats, he just needed to expand his idea of treats! Love it!” @goodgirl_exhausted wrote.

“Love this,” @life_in_parrishdise posted. “Being a grandparent should be about supporting your kids through parenthood. Not making it harder.”