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what to discuss w/ MIL

twinmommy13twinmommy13
in Babies: 0 - 3 Months

MIL will be babysitting starting next week...we are trying to put together a list of things to talk to her about. We already want to talk about:

  1. what to feed her- ONLY what we send (she wanted to give her water a few weeks ago)
  2. keeping a food, diaper, sleep log
  3. encouraging her to nap in am and laying her down for longer one in pm (she likes to "play" rather than let her sleep
  4. bathing- she wants to do daily...okay w/ me as long as skin is not drying out
  5. other personal discussions

ANY other things that I should discuss? Issues that you guys have had w/ other b-sitting?

THANKS!Big Smile

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Re: what to discuss w/ MIL

  • SusieQ1982SusieQ1982
    How to put her to sleep, i.e. on back and not on belly. Whether or not you allow CIO. General parenting philosophy stuff.
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  • Scooter359Scooter359
    We were worried to let my mother watch Mason, but then I remembered, im still here. Go over the food issue and if you want her to be on a sleeping schedual,(I dont see the harm in her being played with, skipping a nap isnt terrible, M does it all the time) but keeping a log is a little silly to me. Whats the difference if shes changed 6 or 8 times a day? Remember that shes raised a child before, shes not completely ignorant. They did things differently back then I suppose but she probably gets the bulk of it.
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  • ShananahShananah
    DH and I had to be very clear about doing things according to what we've decided is best for her - I found that both sets of Grandparents weren't really that receptive to the changes in child rearing over the past 25 years.
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  • livinrealitylivinreality member

    Floor time rules (how long, stomach, back, etc),

    Bottle rules (can only sit out XX time, do not reuse the bottle after XX even if formula is still in it, etc - my dad was going to use a bottle 3-4 hrs after the first feeding),

    is she allowed to drive/ run errands with child?, when to contact you (things you are concerned about), car seat rules, rules of visitors (can other people hold your child if they come visit your MIL) 

    Use of blankets

    I wouldn't worry about the nap time thing, they are going to have to work out a schedule and after a few days LO will not be such a novelty

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  • HerHighnessHerHighness member

    * Not to put baby to bed on tummy

    *Not to feed icing or let her taste things

    My MIL did both last week. Luckily I was there and put a stop to it.  She had her kids almost 40 yrs ago and still things the old rules applies. She has told dh to give baby water multiple times as well

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    Sarah, 35 bumping from NE Ohio
    Married my love 4/22/2006
    DD born 10/12/2009
    DS born sleeping 2/23/2013 full trisomy 18
    Baby 3 due 2/13/2015
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  • allioop2001allioop2001 member
    Our biggest issue is reminding her not to hold him all day long.  He doesn't sleep well at night in his crib then because he got used to being held.
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  • tmhutchtmhutch
    imagetwinmommy13:

    MIL will be babysitting starting next week...we are trying to put together a list of things to talk to her about. We already want to talk about:

    1. what to feed her- ONLY what we send (she wanted to give her water a few weeks ago)
    2. keeping a food, diaper, sleep log
    3. encouraging her to nap in am and laying her down for longer one in pm (she likes to "play" rather than let her sleep
    4. bathing- she wants to do daily...okay w/ me as long as skin is not drying out
    5. other personal discussions

    ANY other things that I should discuss? Issues that you guys have had w/ other b-sitting?

    THANKS!Big Smile

    I would stress this.  My FIL wanted to give DS "a taste" of diet coke when he was 3 months old, and wanted to give him peanut butter at 6 months.  WTF???  Then he would get all pissy when we told him he couldn't

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  • april_lynn_08april_lynn_08 member
    My MIL watches our DD while we work. I was kinda worried about it but she's raised 2 kids, and helped raise 3 grandkids. She knows what she's doing. I agree that older people do tend to stick to the old rules from 30 years ago but I simply told her how we did things and she's stuck to it. The food, diaper, sleep log is a bit much IMO but if that's how you want things done, then go for it. MIL does keep DD up for a good bit of the day playing with her but when DD wants to sleep she sleeps.
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  • twinmommy13twinmommy13

    thanks everone...i added a few things to my list. Big Smile

    dh was only child when mil was 20 so i need to remind her of things...plus she did some weird things when he was growing up

    it may seem silly to tell our parents how to "grandparent" but my mom was talking about how she used to put chocolate and strawbeery syrup in my bottles to make me drink more- Huh?

    i kept a log w/ my twins so that's why I want to keep one...plus i'd like to monitir her intake...make sure she doesn't get fed everytime she cries...a sleepb log will help me establish a routine

    thanks again!!

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  • juliane2004juliane2004 member

    I think you've got great things to talk about, and I agree with other posters.

    I just wanted to say that I'm glad you're doing this; I think it's very very important to babysitters to understand how I want my child to be taken care of.

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