I think this is BSC. (kinda long)

Squishycheeks

Our neighbors asked us to keep their 18 mos. old during the weekend while they went to a marriage class. Well, they kind of asked, he talked to my DH and no specific times were discussed. We told them yeah, let's talk about the details, but it sounded fine. We didn't hear from them until the Thursday before the weekend of their class.

So Thursday night she came over and asked if I was still up for watching their son on Friday. So I said sure. Just Friday? Nope, apparently they needed someone overnights from Friday morning to Sunday morning, but this amount of time was never discussed until the night before they were planning to leave. 

I agreed to watch him since my DH was going to be gone for most of the weekend and me and Audra didn't have any plans other than hanging out at home.

I had never watched their baby before, not even for an hour. We are friendly with them, but not super close.

Later on Thursday night I got 3 text messages with instructions for their baby. What he eats, when he goes to bed, etc. Via text message, no call, no attempt to make sure that I actually got the info. 

So the early the next morning they brought him over. I asked if they would leave his insurance card and write out permission for me to get medical care for him should anything happen, and they did. A quick goodbye and they were off headed to a resort over 3 hours away.

 They checked in on him by text message at night.

Poor baby was really confused. He knows us, but not really well enough to stay for that amount of time. It was stressful for him, and honestly the whole thing seemed insane to me.

The original plan was that they would be back by noon on Sunday, we didn't see them until 5 pm. The baby didn't even want to go to his parents when they came in. He looked completely confused and went to my DH to hold him when they first came in.

Does this not seem completely weird? I'm still bothered by it, wondering if I did the wrong thing by agreeing to watch him. They told us that it was the longest that they had ever left him, and I'm worried they are going to ask again.

WDYT? 

*KC*luvs*RJ*

That poor baby boy!  It does sound a little crazy that they would leave him for so long and not even CALL to check in on him.  It would be soooo hard for me to leave DS for that long, and I'd be calling at every chance.  I also think it's really weird that he went to your DH when his parents came home.

*blondie*

That is really weird!

And I know this might sound crazy, but has there been a missing baby in your area recently?

BeanieWeanie

That is so bizarre. That they would not even call to check on him? The whole thing is just odd. Poor little boy.

alli&pat

that is insane!  i'm freaking out about leaving DS this weekend for 1 night with my mom and its been planned forrrever....we talk often about his schedule, i plan to write out some general guidelines, etc.  i can't imagine being so nonchalant (sp?) about it.  i doubt i'd agree to watch him again...next time they might ask you in passing and leave for a week!

CalinsBride

Something seems really off about that.

Mrs.S-S

What would worry me is not that they would ask again - but that there is something else going on there (why wouldn't the kid not go running to his parents when they came back???). This story really got to me and makes me incredibly sad for that little boy.

I would keep a close eye on that house and kid as much as you can without being super nosey. I hate to think the worst - but it's just not sitting right with me.

anarivera

Wow. For sure it is BSC.

I won't let my DD for that long with people I'm not even close enough.

sgrl

That is NUTS.

katypresson

This part worries me:  The baby didn't even want to go to his parents when they came in. He looked completely confused and went to my DH to hold him when they first came in.

You know for a fact it's their baby?  Maybe it is their baby and he's abused?  Either way is sad and scary!!!

*KC*luvs*RJ*

katypresson:

This part worries me:  The baby didn't even want to go to his parents when they came in. He looked completely confused and went to my DH to hold him when they first came in.

You know for a fact it's their baby?  Maybe it is their baby and he's abused?  Either way is sad and scary!!!

Double this.  Maybe call someone to find out if there have been any recent child abductions?  That part really gets to me.  

PregoCC

Wow, there are a million thoughts running through my head.

Definitely weird.... every little piece of it.

kiwi443

That is super weird. I would never let my child with people that I didn't know well, especially for that length of time. I also agree that it seems odd that an 18 mo. old wouldn't want to go to his parents.

annibes

*KC*luvs*RJ*:

katypresson:

This part worries me:  The baby didn't even want to go to his parents when they came in. He looked completely confused and went to my DH to hold him when they first came in.

You know for a fact it's their baby?  Maybe it is their baby and he's abused?  Either way is sad and scary!!!

Double this.  Maybe call someone to find out if there have been any recent child abductions?  That part really gets to me.  

No kidding. That part stuck out for me, too. O goes nuts with excitement when I get home or when DH gets home.

Squishycheeks

annibes:

*KC*luvs*RJ*:

katypresson:

This part worries me:  The baby didn't even want to go to his parents when they came in. He looked completely confused and went to my DH to hold him when they first came in.

You know for a fact it's their baby?  Maybe it is their baby and he's abused?  Either way is sad and scary!!!

Double this.  Maybe call someone to find out if there have been any recent child abductions?  That part really gets to me.  

No kidding. That part stuck out for me, too. O goes nuts with excitement when I get home or when DH gets home.

We've lived next to them since he was about 5 mos. old, and for the most part he seems really happy. I just wonder if it was long enough to really confuse him. He called me mama the whole time he was with us and started calling my DH dad the morning before they picked him up.

 

outnumbered

annibes:

*KC*luvs*RJ*:

katypresson:

This part worries me:  The baby didn't even want to go to his parents when they came in. He looked completely confused and went to my DH to hold him when they first came in.

You know for a fact it's their baby?  Maybe it is their baby and he's abused?  Either way is sad and scary!!!

Double this.  Maybe call someone to find out if there have been any recent child abductions?  That part really gets to me.  

No kidding. That part stuck out for me, too. O goes nuts with excitement when I get home or when DH gets home.

Oh good god, the baby has not been abducted.  Babies and children can be stand-offish when their parents go away for a while.  They are confused and sometimes even angry.  The baby grew to trust your husband and turned to him in his confusion.  It was definitely not a good plan to leave their child with somebody, but to say he is abused or kidnapped is a stretch.

sgrl

Squishycheeks:

annibes:

*KC*luvs*RJ*:

katypresson:

This part worries me:  The baby didn't even want to go to his parents when they came in. He looked completely confused and went to my DH to hold him when they first came in.

You know for a fact it's their baby?  Maybe it is their baby and he's abused?  Either way is sad and scary!!!

Double this.  Maybe call someone to find out if there have been any recent child abductions?  That part really gets to me.  

No kidding. That part stuck out for me, too. O goes nuts with excitement when I get home or when DH gets home.

We've lived next to them since he was about 5 mos. old, and for the most part he seems really happy. I just wonder if it was long enough to really confuse him. He called me mama the whole time he was with us and started calling my DH dad the morning before they picked him up.

 

Oh that just breaks my heart.

userdeleted

Wow, yes very strange. What were you doing for the five hours between when they said they'd be back and when they showed up? I just can't believe that they didn't even call or anything!

I would not, under any circumstances, agree to watch this child again. It's all just too weird. 

outnumbered

sgrl:

Squishycheeks:

annibes:

*KC*luvs*RJ*:

katypresson:

This part worries me:  The baby didn't even want to go to his parents when they came in. He looked completely confused and went to my DH to hold him when they first came in.

You know for a fact it's their baby?  Maybe it is their baby and he's abused?  Either way is sad and scary!!!

Double this.  Maybe call someone to find out if there have been any recent child abductions?  That part really gets to me.  

No kidding. That part stuck out for me, too. O goes nuts with excitement when I get home or when DH gets home.

We've lived next to them since he was about 5 mos. old, and for the most part he seems really happy. I just wonder if it was long enough to really confuse him. He called me mama the whole time he was with us and started calling my DH dad the morning before they picked him up.

. 

 

Oh that just breaks my heart.

I work in a baby room at my daughters school.  The children all call the teacher 'mama, mommy, mom.'  While we all want to believe that a very young child holds that as a special word for their parent most see the word mommy and daddy as a caregiver.

 I agree it was not a good thing to leave a child all weekend with somebody, but maybe they were desperate.  We have absolutely no help and if I ever had to go away I would either have to get a total stranger from a service or use a neighbor.  

ETA : I would definitely not watch the child again. 

FlaCourtney

That makes me so sad for that little boy. I agree with what everyone else said that it seems off. I don't know what I would do in the future if they ask again-- my gut is to stay away, but you may be the one normal thing in this little guy's life.

I also don't get why they had to go to this marriage class. I wouldn't dump my son with anyone short of family for the weekend unless it was an absolute emergency. If they're having marital issues, there are lots of other ways to handle it than a resort three hours away.

moPOETRYtion

outnumbered:

sgrl:

Squishycheeks:

annibes:

*KC*luvs*RJ*:

katypresson:

This part worries me:  The baby didn't even want to go to his parents when they came in. He looked completely confused and went to my DH to hold him when they first came in.

You know for a fact it's their baby?  Maybe it is their baby and he's abused?  Either way is sad and scary!!!

Double this.  Maybe call someone to find out if there have been any recent child abductions?  That part really gets to me.  

No kidding. That part stuck out for me, too. O goes nuts with excitement when I get home or when DH gets home.

We've lived next to them since he was about 5 mos. old, and for the most part he seems really happy. I just wonder if it was long enough to really confuse him. He called me mama the whole time he was with us and started calling my DH dad the morning before they picked him up.

. 

 

Oh that just breaks my heart.

I work in a baby room at my daughters school.  The children all call the teacher 'mama, mommy, mom.'  While we all want to believe that a very young child holds that as a special word for their parent most see the word mommy and daddy as a caregiver.

 I agree it was not a good thing to leave a child all weekend with somebody, but maybe they were desperate.  We have absolutely no help and if I ever had to go away I would either have to get a total stranger from a service or use a neighbor.  

ETA : I would definitely not watch the child again. 

it does all seem strange and i feel sad for the little boy. i also agree with this though, in regards to the mama/dad thing. my 20 month old niece calls me mom when i watch her, and does the same thing with my mom when she watches her. she calls us by our names when her mom is around though, so i think 'mom' to her is just someone who is taking care of her and doing the whole mom thing. 

melhearts

I like my neighbors and all but unless they were GREAT friends or family that I trusted I don't think I would leave my DD with neighbors I see out on the sidewalk!!  That poor baby!!  Do they not have any family around?  I mean if they were going to a marriage class they knew about this way in advance.  So why didn't they get family or close friends to watch their DD.  I mean even if the family is out of town they could have came in for the weekend!!  Wow that is just not normal!!

mrs.n22

That is strange, but I never would have watched a child I don't know very well.

outnumbered

melhearts:

I like my neighbors and all but unless they were GREAT friends or family that I trusted I don't think I would leave my DD with neighbors I see out on the sidewalk!!  That poor baby!!  Do they not have any family around?  I mean if they were going to a marriage class they knew about this way in advance.  So why didn't they get family or close friends to watch their DD.  I mean even if the family is out of town they could have came in for the weekend!!  Wow that is just not normal!!

Some people do not even have help from out of town.  With sick parents on both sides of the family I have nobody.  That could be the case with this family. I would choose not to go away, but again maybe this family is desperate.

My heart does not break for this boy.  The OP said he is a happy child  I feel bad for him that he had to stay with strangers and it is a bit crazy, but it is not a matter of abduction or abuse.

Tara&Ryan

It sounds like they were very desperate for a babysitter so that they could attend this class.  I do feel bad for the little boy and it is strange that they would leave him so abruptly without really knowing you. However, I say ask more questions next time you are around them so you get a better feel for the situation. If they don't have any family or friends around, that would explain alot.  Don't count them totally out now (not ever babysitting again) if you don't want to. Their little one knows you some what now and it would be even more comfortable the next time.
Crazy situation though, sounds like you handled it with grace.