Space enthusiast grandma following Artemis II journey is excited to teach grandkids about the planets, makes daughter-in-law cry after discovering she believes the world is flat: ‘This is literally my definition of stupid.'

Author image for Elna McHilderson
Elna McHilderson • Managing Editor
Apr 7, 2026 2:00 PM EDT

Grandmothers can be wonderful role models for kids! Sometimes even more so than the children's actual mother. Here we have the classic case of an adult who has let the internet completely cloud her rational mind and now believes every conspiracy theory she comes across. One of the craziest being that the Earth is flat… So grandma came in to properly educate her grandbabies.  

It's one thing to be annoyed at a mother-in-law for overstepping her boundaries when it comes to the grandchildren. As a mother, you have every right to raise your kids how you believe is best. That being said, facts are facts. If you are miseducating your children, then someone else needs to come in and give them a proper education. For instance, you should not teach your kids based on what you read on the internet. That can be harmful in both mind and body. The grandma didn't even realize her daughter-in-law believed in the conspiracy theory that the Earth is flat, one that has been continuously disproven, even accidentally by its own followers. So she was just happily sharing some facts about space to her grandbabies. That's when she discovered her DIL's beliefs…

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  • Little girl happily holding onto the arm of her grandparent outside while watching the sunset
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.
    Little girl happily holding onto the arm of her grandparent outside while watching the sunset

  • "AITA for making my DIL cry when proving the earth was round"

    This is stupid and I really don't feel like I am in the wrong. I am not going to hide that I am not a huge fan of my DIL.
    via Space_Report2659
  • She can be a moron and we have clashed over basic things My two grandkids are at my place twice a week.
    via Space_Report2659
  • I like NASA, and I have been staying up to date with the Artemis II journey.
    via Space_Report2659
  • My two grandkids are 5 and 7. They saw me watching and were confused (the best way to put it).
    via Space_Report2659
  • They thought it was fake because their mom told them things in space were fake. I assumed she was talking about space movies not overall the fact people went to space.
    via Space_Report2659
  • I decided to show them, the moon landing and some take offs. I asked them if they wanted to see a double sunset.
    via Space_Report2659
  • This is when you lay down and watch the sun go down. The moment you don't see it you stand up and get somewhere higher and you will see the sunset again because the earth is curved.
    via Space_Report2659
  • My DIL showed up when we were waiting for the sun to go down. We did the little experiment and the saw the sunset twice.
    via Space_Report2659
  • The boys had a great time. I made a comment that this one way to show the earth is a big ball.
    via Space_Report2659
  • My DIL had issues with that, she told me I am not telling the truth and that the earth isn't round.
    via Space_Report2659
  • I was confused and she told me the earth was flat. I started grilling her why she thought that, and she couldn't give me a reason.
    via Space_Report2659
  • I asked her to explain why the other planets were round or why we could see a "double sunset".
    via Space_Report2659
  • I asked her why boats disappear in the distance from the bottom up. She got upset and said I was calling her stupid.
    via Space_Report2659
  • ( I didn't say it out loud but this is literally my definition of stupid, thinking the earth was flat).
    via Space_Report2659
  • She left with the kids, I got a call from my son saying his wife has been crying.
    via Space_Report2659
  • That the boys keep asking her space questions and not believing what she says because I showed them other videos.
    via Space_Report2659
  • He told me I have to apologize and that I overstepped. I told him I won't apologize because the earth is literally round.
    via Space_Report2659
  • He said he knows but I need to apologize to keep the peace.
    via Space_Report2659
  • Grandma helps grandkid point to a place on the globe, teaching kids geography and astronomy
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.
    Grandma helps grandkid point to a place on the globe, teaching kids geography and astronomy 

  • Maybe she could have educated everyone involved in a more empathetic manner, sure. But she already doesn't get along with her DIL, so it seems like empathy left the chat a while ago… Instead, she started providing cold, hard facts to her DIL, while her DIL had nothing to back up her beliefs. She was so educated that it made her DIL cry. Why? Because she felt stupid in front of her children. But like, what did you expect ma'am? You're taking advice from people whose only form of education comes from the dark web and memes… Actually, memes tend to be more educated than this.

  • Cal-Augustus Where is she picking up bulls beliefs? The source of the bulls should be issuing the apology. What other nonsense does she think is true?
    via Cal-Augustus
  • OP Space_Report2659 The internet She is deep into conspiracy theories
    via Space_Report2659

  • Ok_Bat_9715

    Ok_Bat_9715 NTA. Never apologize. Take a stand for those poor kids, if your son keeps enabling his oh so stupid wife, cut him off too.
    via Space_Report2659
  • -physco219 NTA facts are facts. There's nothing to be sorry about. Your son is an idiot for allowing this bs to be taught to your grandkids. F that.
    via -physco219
  • NTA Pumkin_Girl I also love science and already bought the Baby University books by Chris Ferrie so my 5 month old and I have learnt about nuclear physics, quantum theory and quantum computing. I'm very excited to start in the ABC books if space, science and maths. BUT Think about the end goal here. You want to teach your grandchildren and spend time with them. You want your son to be around. Isolating his wife will just push him to stand by here and away from you. Now, I'm not saying to apologi
    via Pimpkin_Girl
  • Buttered_Crumpet09 NTA. Your son needs to stop keeping the peace and step up for his children. He's allowing his wife to teach their children faulty information because she's ignorant and doesn't want to educate herself, and her BS can and will affect their kids' education (is she going to stop them learning basic physics, or will your son demand that their teachers only teach them what their mother believes to 'keep the peace'?), not to mention that it will undermine their trust and faith in th
    via Buttered_Crumpet09
  • bbreddit0011 NTA, but OP must know that you can't fix stupid.
    via bbreddit0011
  • CatWizardCloset It's one thing to apologize for overstepping (like when a grandparent criticizes her DIL for using disposable diapers or feeding the kids McDonalds), but this? Nope, you are refusing to lie to your grandkids. I would absolutely double down and say this. "I'm sorry, but we value the truth in this house and I want my grandchildren to know that I will never lie to them." And then, in a quiet moment, take your DIL aside and tell her that you understand that she has been taught some t
    via CatWizardCloset
  • SnooBananas 7203 The real issue is your son's "keeping the peace" excuse. Saying that you overstepped with teaching your grandchildren science. He'd rather raise idiot children than confront his wife's nonsense.
    via SnooBananas7203
  • Prtyvacant NTA. I'd be mad at my kid for marrying and having kids with this woman.
    via Prtyvacant

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daughter in law artemis ii planet earth grandma children education grandchildren Astronomy mother in law family grandparents raising kids space
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