WWYD (babysitting)?

AggieCouple

We are trying to figure out the best babysitting solution for our anniversary trip.  We'll be gone 5 days, 4 nights.

ML is almost 4.  TB just turned 2.

TB is most attached to my parents and will probably do best there emotionally, especially at nights and naptime.  I think if he stayed with any of my sibs, he would be well distracted by his cousins during the day, but upset when he wakes up.  Also, my sibs all have 3-4 kids of their own, and I do worry a little about his safety, i.e. he likes to climb/explore, and is constantly hurting himself when not supervised.

ML wants to stay with one of her sets of cousins.  For her age, my parents' house is a little boring.

I think though, wherever TB stays, he would be happiest if ML was with him too. ML has also said she'd prefer TB to stay with her, but not so much that she'd want to stay with my parents.  When given the choice of staying with TB at my parents' or alone at a sibs', she chose the latter.

What should I do?

A.  Keep TB and ML together, at a sibs' house.

B.  Keep TB and ML together, at my parents' house.

C.  Separate them to where they'd be happiest as far as setting, but a little unhappy because they are not together.

 

*Amy*

I think I would do C.  They would get a lot of attention from where they were staying and I think they would probably do just fine alone.  Also then there is not as much pressure on whoever is watching them b/c it is only 1 child.

JOEBunny

C

joseysbride

Would it be possible for them to stay with your parents for the bulk of the time, but then let ML have a two day, one night sleepover type thing with her cousins one night?  Maybe on the weekend?

elm1032004

I would do either B or C.  If you keep them together at your parents try to arrange is so that ML has playdates with her cousins to break it up and give her someone ot play with. 

AggieCouple

Oh one more thing: It's Easter weekend (I know... I didn't realize Easter was so early when I booked the trip).

We will be doing Easter baskets early at home, but one of my sisters said if they stayed with her, she'd do baskets for them that morning.  My parents view Easter as a religious holiday, and chocolate eggs be d*mned.  I sort of want TB to have that Easter morning too, not wake up at 7 to go to church. 

Kersbear

Is it possible to have your parents come and stay at your house during the time?  Then maybe one night ML could have a sleepover at her cousins house.

MrsHadley

If they would be okay apart C.

lilpiglet

If you want them to experience Easter on Easter, then I would have them both stay with one of your sisters.  I would just remind them that they have to keep a very very close eye on TB.  I would trust that my sister wouldn't let anything happen to my child.

I def. wouldn't split them up, they are already going to be away from you and your DH, so i wouldn't want them to be away from each other also.

Me I would go for A or B, and let how you want them to spend Easter be the deciding factor.

springfallwed

With it being Easter and you wanting them to have that experience; I would have them both stay with your sister that Saturday night. Then, I'd go with C. Granted, I don't know how far apart your sister is from your parents, and that may be a deciding factor.

We have at least a week every Summer that we need childcare and we send DD to my Aunt's for the first part of the week, and then she goes to my MILs that Wednesday. We pick her up either Friday or Sat. They live 20 minutes apart and have no problem doing the trade. We've done that a ton. And BTW, have fun!

kelly&paul

when dh and I go oot for more than 1 night without the kids, my mom comes here and stays. All of their stuff is here so it's easier for my mom to pack a few things and come here rather than dragging everything to her house. Is that an option? for your parents to come to your house and stay with both kids?

AggieCouple

I don't want to ask someone to not be without *their* things for that long, kwim?  If I don't pack up the kids' stuff, someone else will have to pack up their own stuff, and that is a lot to ask, I think, for 5 days.  A night or two might not be a big deal but they have their schedules, too.

 The last time we left them, we did split them, and I think it made it harder on them as they started to miss us, but I think staying with my parents for that long will be hard on ML, too.  There is a language barrier, and for TB, who isn't speaking that much anyway and has basic toddler needs, it's not a big deal.  But ML has a harder time with it, and my mom doesn't seem to understand that yelling Vietnamese doesn't make it come across any clearer.

darlene'smommy

After the last post you put I would keep them together at your sibs house.  If your family is close enough maybe have them play it by ear and do what they think is best for the kids each day.  When dd stays with my family she will sometimes do a night at my parents house and a night at my sisters because she loves being with her cousins but she also loves being with my sister (my mom has 3 of my neices living with her).  Other times she wants to stay with one or the other person and it may not be the person we left her with.  So maybe they can play it by ear and do what the kids want.