Donna Kelce Offers Her Top Tips for Being a Grandmother to Four Grandkids
Donna Kelce has a knack for winning over her grandchildren.
“Let them do what they like,” said Donna, 73, when her daughter-in-law Kylie Kelce sought her top grandparenting tip during her November 6 appearance on Kylie’s “Not Gonna Lie” podcast. “Within reason, of course. There are things I do check with you, asking, ‘Can I do this? Can I do that?’”
The grandmother of four elaborated, “I believe you should show them as much love as you can. I don’t want to be the one to dampen the mood. However, sometimes it’s necessary to say, ‘That’s enough.’”
Kylie, 33, acknowledged that Donna strikes an “amazing balance” with her and husband Jason Kelce’s daughters: Wyatt, 6, Ellie, 4, Bennett, 2, and Finn, 7 months.
“They know you’ll bring them sweet treats because that’s the job of a grandparent. Everyone realizes you have free rein to indulge them,” Kylie remarked. “They also know you’ll give them your full attention and read them stories. Because of that, whenever DeeDee is mentioned, they’re like, ‘Where is she? When will she arrive? Is she here yet?’”
Kylie concluded, “There’s an unmatched excitement surrounding it; it’s clear they genuinely cherish the time spent with you.”
Donna emphasized that she treasures her moments with the girls as well.
Alongside sharing her top tips as a grandparent, Donna revealed her number one piece of advice on motherhood that she followed while raising Jason, 38, and his younger brother, Travis Kelce.
“Everyone should encourage them to fight,” she stated to Kylie. “That’s how they learn to negotiate and handle various situations. But if it appears too intense or someone could get hurt, you step in. Usually, someone ends up in tears, and that’s where it stops.”
Donna pointed out that younger siblings often develop good negotiation skills and cunning tactics.
Now that Jason has children of his own, Donna expressed how “totally amazed” she is by his gentle side as a parent.
“He still tosses them in the air on the couch, but there’s a softer side to him I’ve never quite seen before,” she added. “He definitely adores his girls, that’s for sure.”
Jason and Kylie met on Tinder in 2014 and married four years later in Philadelphia. They welcomed Wyatt in October 2019, followed by Ellie in March 2021, Bennett in February 2023, and Finn in April this year.
“I often have to be the bad cop since I’m outnumbered,” Kylie revealed about their parenting dynamic during a September 2023 episode of Jason and Travis’ “New Heights” podcast, explaining that Jason is frequently the “good cop” and the “fun” parent. “On most days, I play the bad cop. We’re trying to avoid injuries and maintain peace. When it’s just me, with three against one, I need to address issues before things go south.”
