Because I suscribe to that magazine, and even though the woman sounded callous, I'm sure she's just busy and ....as a writer, used the IDEA of being a frumpy old grandma and took it to the nex level.

She buys the kids leather jackets, takes them blackberry picking in the park, has a deluxe back bike seat because she obviously takes them bike riding, and she has converted her daughters bedroom for the girls for sleepovers and weekends.
This doesn't make her sound uncaring to me.

She's just not AVAILABLE to her daughter as a babysitter every time her daughter needs her. I don't have grandchildren yet, but I look forward to it. I can see my own daughter using me as a convenient babysitter, but that won't be my role. I raised both my kids myself from a very early age and plan to live a little now that I finally have my freedom from THAT responsibility. I barely knew my own grandparents and didn't have anyone to fall back on........and yet both my kids and I are well adjusted and have flourishing lifestyles and jobs.

However, this has been an interesting thread that shows the love and care young ones need to thrive.
My problem comes when mothers plan to have kids, have them, and then go right back into the work force 6 weeks later and let someone else raise them. I believe the first few years are crucial to the security and happiness of the developing child and that mothers who abdicate THAT responsibility are far worse than busy grandmothers who have learned to say "no" once in a while to their daughters.
What's all the ado about?