Anyone have family member that ignore your instructions for LO?

redhead0525

This drives me NUTS!!  We follow EASY w/ LO and it is working so well for us...I work part time and DH's family have been watching DS for us....I have generally been happy with the arrangement and very grateful until recently when I discovered they are not following my instructions regarding his schedule...I came home today from work to find LO exhausted, yawning and he had not taken ANY afternoon naps! WTF...I left instructions (even typed them out) and think it is really disrespectful for them to be ignored....I tried to get him down for a little while but now have had to deal with him being fussy and cranky for the rest of the night....I am so frustrated..I tried to talk to DH about it but he got really defensive of his family......sooooo frustrated!

ellemoney:)

If he is not going to talk to his family for you, then you need to do it. You have LO on a schedule and that's what he is used to. I would tell them that you would really appreciate it if they would stick to the schedule because it's easier on him. Tell them how fussy he was because of the disruption to his schedule and maybe they'll get it.?

MrsF2007

I am not trying to mitigate your frustration but I doubt a daycare would follow EASY to the T so I am not surprised that your family members don't. Something like that takes buy-in. Maybe explain what you're doing and why?.beyond a typed up piece of paper. 

kiwi443

This just happened to me today.  I left DS with my mom and she fed him at different times and gave him his solids before his bottle (and I even had a note with the times), so he didn't drink nearly as much formula as usual.  It wacked up his eating for the rest of the day. I'm afraid he'll wake up hungry during the night.

redhead0525

I've explained it over and over, they said they understand and even tell me how great they think it is and then just do their own thing! I guess thats why I am frustrated...plus, they do what they want and I am the one who has to deal w/ the fussy baby for the rest of the night you know?  Ive explained the method, ow it works for us and even offered to show them the book, research etc..I think they are just being stubborn and have the mentality that they know best....

meg1974

That would frustrate me too. I guess talking to her is the only thing you can do, and I agree with PP about trying to get buy-in.

camarotempress

YESM!!!!! My MIL does this crap, she has since he was born, because its the way she did things with her son and questions everything I say with a horrible tone. Sooo, she dosen't get to have him anymore and we are not on speaking terms at the moment, because I got tired of her sh*t and disrespect for what we want for our son.

redhead0525

thats exactly what Im afraid of!

dragon_chica

If your DH isn't going to support you on this then let him deal with the nighttime crankiness.  I bet you after a couple nights of that he'll be on board with whatever you want!

camarotempress

redhead0525:

thats exactly what Im afraid of!

I know they are family, but if DH won't and it starts fights b/ you 2 then sometimes you have to do it.  Let it out thick for them, don't beat around the bush, because it doesn't work.  He is your son not theirs and if they can't respect you then F'em.  I know its harsh, but it's not worth it.