Trouble Deciding: Family Babysitting

Re: Trouble Deciding: Family Babysitting

• Disneygeek77 member

  January 2011

  No.  Your child's safety and well being is more important than their feelings.  You are about to me a mama soon and that sometimes means doing the right thing for your baby, yes even if it upsets people. 

  If they ask I would just happily say that you found a great place or that you have it covered and leave it at that.  If they continue to pester you, get up and walk away / hang up. 

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• ccorso member

  January 2011

  Being an Aunt 5 times, a great-Aunt 3 times and Aunt to several friend's kids, I can tell you that there is an excitement like nothing else knowing your loved one is having a baby.  I was very hands on in several of these kids life on a day to day basis (1 niece currently lives with me to go to college - another niece goes to school an hour away).  I never overstepped my boundaries with the parents...although there are certain 'Auntie' privileges that we get in the spoiling department.  

  Now, if the person is going to let your child sit in from on the internet - I don't think that is healthy.  And if the person is 'crazy' I don't think that is healthy.  But if they are just over the top excited - go for it!  What better person to watch and help with your child.  

  I would have been so sad if one of my relatives or friends did not want me involved and around.   

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• katlizabeth member

  January 2011

  My aunt babysits ds and will watch this little girl (possibly as ds moves to daycare).  I think it's an excellent set up.  We do pay her, but probably not as much as we'd have to pay a daycare, and she will get one on one attention from someone who cares about her as their own.  However, if you feel in your situation that it's not going to be good for your LO, then you'd better look elsewhere.  I think it totally depends on how you feel about it and what is best for your LO. 
  

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• croberts22

  January 2011

  Your childs safety and being in an environment you approve of is more important.  My gandparents have offered to babysit (they watched my sister and I when we were little), and I have no idea how I'm going to explain to them that with their health declining they really won't be able to.  I looked through my local phone book for places that offer daycare for infants and made a list of about 10 (I'm from a small town).  One was the local YMCA.  I have to call to verify because it seems to good to be true, but it looks like you get child care for the cost of a membership.  Around me the cost for a family is under $800.  When you do the math, thats an amazing rate if it really does include the child care.  Also, is your income low enough to qualify for Job and Family Service assistance? 

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• jmg7781

  January 2011

  If you feel like the childs best interest won't be first and foremost in there minds than I wouldn't do it. It's always nice to have family to fall back on though. Especially if your child were to be sick and not permitted at daycare and you needed someone else to sit for a few days or if they were closed for whatever reason (holiday, snow ect.) and you still needed to be at work. I watch my sisters 3 kids and it helps her out a lot. I pick up and drop off the older ones at school and help with homework. I do charge her $150 a month but thats because I feed them dinner everyday and that helps cover the extra food cost.

  Proud mom to Cody Ryan 9/30/94, Michael Anthony 3/1/98, Tayla Lynn 9/24/01, Aiden William 11/17/04, Logan Aaron 2/8/07 and Kalen Joseph 3/31/11

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• desdemona39

  January 2011

  I would not use any of them for primary child care, if they don't have your child's best interest in mind. People love spoiling other people's kids, and there is a time and place for that. As long as you think they would provide a safe, if not enriching environment, I would consider using them as occasional back-up babysitting, but definitely nothing on a regular basis. They can't turn your child into a brat with occasional contact- and kids are really good at figuring out what they can get away with and with who. Look into another regular babysitter or daycare.
  

  

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• Butterflylove85 member

  January 2011

  I chose to use my husbands aunt (who offered to do it) because we couldn't exactly afford daycare. For me that was the WRONG thing to do because she would do everything I would tell her NOT to do. Shes a smoker, so I asked her not to smoke anywhere around the baby and she said ok. I go over to pick her up and there she is smoking right next to her...  She decided to start her on solids with out even asking me about it at 3 months! For one thing I was not ready for that step and for another *I* wanted to be the first to do the introduction to food, I'm the mom. I talk to her about it and she just gave me an "well, when my kids were this age" BS! There were many other things she did in the time that DD was with her that I said I didn't need her help anymore, so I cut half my hours and am home with her during the day while DH is at work (= less $$), which has made life a little more difficult but I am sooo much happier not having to stress about that stupid woman.

  So the moral of my little rant is unless you are SURE your family will do ONLY what you tell them is ok then go else where. If you trust your family then have them help, it should really help money wise, plus you know your family, daycare staff are strangers.

  
  

  DD1 Born 11/06/09

  DD2 Born 05/11/11

   #3   EDD 05/02/16 

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