Grace Rwaramba is shown in Las Vegas with Michael Jackson’s children in January, 2007. Credit: Ben/Victor/Bauer-Griffin

Three weeks ago, we heard that Michael Jackson’s oldest sibling, his sister Rebbie, 59, would be helping her mother Katherine raise Michael’s three children. Katherine Jackson is 79 and many people wonder if she’s up to the task of caring for her grandchildren and how long she’ll be able to be responsible for them. It’s reassuring to hear that Rebbie, who has been married for over forty years and has three grown children, will be involved.

Michael’s longterm nanny, Grace Rwaramba, told a reporter from the Times of London that she was in touch with Katherine Jackson following Michael’s death, but I don’t remember reading that she was helping her with the children. The National Enquirer has a new story that claims that Grace was consulted about possibly helping with Michael’s children: Prince Michael, 12, Paris, 11, and Blanket, 7, but that she wasn’t hired due to violent argument with Rebbie. Grace supposedly lit into Katherine about how she should be caring for the children, and Rebbie fired back, eventually smacking Grace. Then Grace defended herself and it’s said to have escalated into a full-on fist fight!

The former nanny for Michael Jackson’s three children got into a brawl recently with Jackson’s sister during a heated dispute over how the children are being raised, The ENQUIRER has learned exclusively.

In the ugly incident, longtime nanny Grace Rwaramba came to blows with Michael’s 59-year-old sister Rebbie after an argument between the two women exploded out of control, say sources.

What started as a confrontation over the parenting skills of the singer’s mother Katherine – who has been named permanent guardian of his children – quickly turned violent. After heated words were exchanged, Rebbie punched Grace, starting a nasty donnybrook [free-for-all], according to a Jackson family insider.

Sources told The ENQUIRER the fight erupted last month at Katherine’s home in Encino, Calif., where Prince Michael, 12, Paris, 11, and 7-year-old Prince Michael II (nicknamed Blanket) have been living since their father’s June 25 death.

“Grace the nanny paid a visit to check on the children,” disclosed the family insider.

“She had been fired by Michael a few weeks before his death, but she still loves the kids and is concerned about their welfare.

“The family had even considered re-hiring Grace to help with the transition in the aftermath of Michael’s death – but that’s now out the window after what happened between her and Rebbie.

“Grace went on a tirade about how the kids should be cared for. Grace questioned Katherine on what time the kids were going to bed and everything else.

“Katherine was trying to be civil, and said, ‘I’m the grandmother, and it was me who Michael appointed to raise them should something happen to him.’

“But Grace kept on being critical, and Rebbie became incensed with the way she was speaking to her mother.

“Rebbie finally had enough and smacked Grace, and Grace fought back and the two women came to blows!

[From The National Enquirer]

If this is true, I only hope that none of the children had to see it. They loved Grace and lived with her for years, and it’s terrible that their aunt would smack her for expressing her opinion. Grace should have left instead of fighting back, but Rebbie never should have hit her, either. Out of all the Jackson children, it was thought that the oldest, Rebbie, was the most stable and had escaped the terrible influence of her abusive father. It looks like that isn’t the case and that she still sees violence as an acceptable way to handle an argument. The worst part is that she’s modeling that behavior for the children.