" what's the expression, btw, about one's children tending to be the revenge of their grandparents?"

Dear bridget96: As a switch, there was a girl I knew who was in local parlance a hellion. But to the surprise of all who knew her, became a very successful business woman.
When her mother wanted to have the grand-children come visit, the daughter said: "What? And let you turn them into brats as you did with me? I guess not!"