Brother wants us to babysit niece but dictates where we can take her

Person_one

As its the very first overnight stay, I'd cut them some slack. They'll probably be texting every 10 minutes and not concentrating on the gig!

Its really up to your mum what she decides to do. If I were her I'd try to find a compromise of a day out with your family but nearer to home this time, then I'd let brother know its not really on to dictate to his mum like that and it won't fly next time.

Alikay

I think it's a shame you've all got upset about it and ultimately it's very likely to affect any future requests for your parents to babysit. Maybe you and your parents will be happy about that as they won't be burdened with having to babysit your nephew according to his parent's wishes, but personally I consider minding my grandchildren to be a privilege and would be sad if they preferred to look elsewhere for sitters.

The withholding of the car seat sounds a bit worrying - tensions have obviously escalated if they feel they can't trust you all not to sneak off to the beach without telling them. Leaving a car seat is as important as leaving bottles and nappies in most cases.

shop-to-drop

If they are so nervous due to it being the first overnight away from baby, then why are they extending the length of time by going shopping beforehand? They seem to be wanting to monopolise grandma and she is creating a rod for her back by letting them get away with it IMO. OP doesn't sound selfish at all to me they have been very accommodating especially by offering to be back by 5pm and to sleep elsewhere. I hope Gran thinks twice before committing to babysit in the future.

pimento

Ten months? Blimey! My mum and dad had my son for the whole weekend when he was five weeks old.

It was bliss!

supersaver2

That first night apart can be hard for parents, we left our daughter at my mums for the first time when she was 26 months old and and my wife was worried and desperate to get back to her! May seem crazy to some, but my wife has very good reasons to want to have our daughter close by.

At the end of the day its down to Grandparents to either say they can't look after the baby if their plans don't fit in with what the parents are comfortable with. The thread title is misleading, the op wasn't asked to babysit, the grandparents were.

FatVonD

barbiedoll wrote: »

As for being stuck in a buggy all day, that is a ridiculous argument, what does a 10 month old do all day? They don't really spend their days walking or running around.

Mine was walking at 10 months, many do.

FatVonD

shop-to-drop wrote: »

They seem to be wanting to monopolise grandma and she is creating a rod for her back by letting them get away with it IMO.

Are you projecting here or are you reading a different thread to everyone else??! :rotfl:

sulkisu

BigAunty wrote: »

Fantastic, that gives them a 2k radius to the house for a stroll over Easter....

...does it really? [winking Smilie]


Many families do not have cars. I doubt if they all stay within a 2km radius of their homes. We have no idea if the grandmother even drives, and I was actually responding to the part of your post where you said that not having a car seat meant that the grandmother was tied to the house and unable to make even a short local trip. Clearly with a pram or pushchair, this would not be the case. Lets face it, millions of parents do it every day.

sulkisu

Nicki wrote: »

That wouldn't do my mum much good if I left my kids with her for the afternoon. Nearest shop to her is 5 miles, doctor the same, a and e 20 miles and one bus in and out of her village by day.

But she could get some fresh air I guess. And leave the baby outside in it if she puked or pooed over her last clean outfit to save her smelling the house out rather than nipping to asda for a clean onesie.

And a car seat wouldn't do my MIL much good, as she doesn't drive. She will load my boys in a pushchair and walk for miles though.


The image of a grandparent travelling miles to buy a new outfit because a baby had puked on the one it was wearing, did make me smile. Never seen that before - perhaps I just pack too much stuff for mine.

jjj1980

Have to say, I'm with OP's brother and SIL on this. They have absolute and final say on what happens with their child.

I used to babysit quite regularly for my cousins children when they were little and any plans I already had or came up were checked with my cousin and would have been changed or cancelled if needed.

I now have a 4.5 year old daughter of my own. Since her release from NICU at 4 days old, we have not spent a single night apart. My mum and dad have watched her for me when I have had appointments etc and whilst I do trust them, they always contact me if they find they need to go somewhere. Have just discussed this thread with my mum and her response was "I think the grandmother and aunt are overstepping the mark. They don't have the right to question why the parents don't want the baby going on the trip, they just need to accept it. There will be other days for trips when babysitting has not being arranged"