Grandpa's Spanking Sparks a Family Rift—and a Path to Reconciliation

A Slate Care and Feeding advice column addresses a mom whose father spanked her 5-year-old; her husband wants the grandparents cut out, tearing the family apart. The guidance treats the spanking as a boundary violation but urges the grandparents to apologize, explores whether breaking ties is the only fix, and recommends addressing the child’s behavior and setting boundaries to protect the kids while aiming to repair family relationships.