IF RELATIONS with the in-laws are a little strained, spare a thought for German peasants in the 18th and 19th centuries. For them, having Dad’s mother around could double the chances of a child dying.
From an evolutionary point of view, it makes sense for a mother’s parents to take more of an interest in a grandchild than the father’s parents. While mum’s mother can be sure she’s cooing at her own flesh and blood, there is always the chance that dad– and his parents– have been duped into looking after the milkman’s kid.
Studies often find that paternal grandmothers…
