For those whom a family member wathces your LO while you work

Jlobebe2012

I am a FTM so this is my first experince with dealing with a FT job and someone watching my LO, so I am wanting any tips, advice or experience with a simular situation.

Short background:

I have returned to work 6 weeks PP, my DH's sister, who did not work before watches my LO while I am at work. We have an agreed set weekly amount, and I of course provide all milk (I EBF) and diapers, creams, ect.

My SIL asked us this weekend if we can provide something for her house for our DD, for  "entertainment" purpose, i.e a swing, bounce ect. I use the swing, bouncer, RnP, ect. on a pretty consistent bases during the week, when I need to shower and DH is not home, getting ready for work or while cooking, ect, and I am not going to be taking any of those items back in forth everyday, that seems unreasonable. My question is did you provide any of these items? If you did, did you purchase an additional item for your house? She watches her about 6 hours a day mon-fri, sometimes less amount of hours, and sometimes less days, depending upon DH and I's work week, so she does have her quite a bit.

Any other tips, suggestion for this type of care enviroment. I want to move my LO into daycare once whe is able to talk and out of diapers to get interaction with other children and other stimulation. We pay my SIL as much as a daycare would cost us.

KathrynMD

our daycare had a bouncy seat and exersaucer, but they were shared among all the kids and I think 2 years later, they still have the same ones. 

If your SIL hasn't watched kids before and isn't planning to become a daycare provider, I'd probably buy those things for her house.  You can get them pretty cheap at consignment shops, etc.  The kids really only use them for a short period.

CHI-06

My mom watches my kids and I have also had my MIL and SIL do it in the past...but always at our house where all of the equipment is.  Would she be willing to come to your house?  All this 'equipment' would be a very good reason for that.  If not I would probably go to a second hand seller (here they are Once Upon a Child) and buy a bouncy seat and maybe exersaucer for her house.  I wouldn't expect her to buy it and I wouldn't drag them back and forth every day either.

jellyjellybean

My mom watches DS1, we provided a PnP, jumperoo and exersaucer all purchased from CL. She and I have both purchased various toys along the way as he's gotten older.

amyc216

My mom keeps DS and luckily she already had a bouncy seat, exersaucer, swing, walker, etc. b/c she kept my nieces in the past.  All I bought her was a carseat base.  That's a tough situation-- I would say maybe get your SIL some items, but if you're already paying her as much as a DC she maybe should get her own.

Jlobebe2012

Thanks for the responses so far. Also to add, she does not have any children of her own, so no she would not use these items again. I plan to have my LO in regular day care by 1 year, as it would be easier for me to take her to daycare across from my job then taking her to my SIL and picking her up everyday.

We were on a wait list for this daycare that I really wanted and my SIL was out of work so our situation kind of fell in place. I want my LO to be stimulated and not bored while in her care, I just wanted to know how others handled this type of enviroment.

When she is older I would def send books, a jumper, an exersaucer, rattles, toys, that kind of thing to keep her entertained, but right now at 7 weeks when we are at home she does not stay put long in her bouncy seat or swing for more than 15-20 min at a time that it takes me to take a quick shower, chop up something for dinner, or clean something. As a matter of fact towards the end of a shower,she gets fustrated in her chair or swing and is fussing to get out. She would much rather be read to, or doing tummy time, taken for a walk kind of thing, so I wanted to see if it was worth the investment to buy an additional bouncy chair or swing, and I dont think SIL should have to buy it.

caitie2002

My LO gets passed around to different family members (my mom, my aunts, my Nana and Papaw, my brother), and we don't pay any of them.  Most of the time whoever it is comes to my  house.  My mom watches  him the most out of any of them, so sometimes she prefers him to be at her house so she can catch up on housework when he naps.  She had found a used crib before he was born, but he doesn't like napping in it (he prefers his swing), so I bought her a small swing to keep at her house.  I also bought her a carseat base for her truck.  I also bought diapers, wipes, etc for her house.  I would love to pay her but I don't know if she would accept it!  So I just do whatever I can- offer to pick up supper on my way home, run an errand for her, etc.

jeffsjayme

My sister will be watching our son.  I think you should buy things that are reasonable.  Yes, it's a job for her, but it's also your daughter.  I mean, I wouldn't outfit an entire nursery for her, but if you know that your DD really loves a certain item, it's certainly not the end of the world to provide a duplicate for your SIL's house.

For me, my sister already has kids, so she has alot of this stuff on hand and she's been more than generous at giving me what she doesn't think she'll need to watch our son.  BUT...that's because she has those items already.

I think when family is watching our LOs, then there needs to be a lot more flexibility on both parts.

Torani

Get her a few things on Craigslist or at Once Upon a Child.  When your DD outgrows them, you can probably resell them for a similar price.

itsmevkb

My younger sister watches our children and I did provide her with a pack 'n play, a swing, a playmat and a stroller.  I also send toys over and as my kids get older I buy toys that pack up well (like a bucket of duplos where all the pieces fit into the bucket and it has a handle so my kid can carry it) and then we do transport those back and forth.

lvnbraves

We were lucky.  My SIL watches LO and she has 3 kids, so she already had all of the stuff.  We only provide food, clothes (some of which she gave us) and diapers/wipes.

It's been wonderful!  

Stillharbor

Would you allow your SIL to watch LO at your house?  That way all the entertainment items are there and you don't have to constantly take supplies over to her house?