To think I’ve blown my chances of looking after DGD again

People also used to be advised to drink Guinness while pregnant, we didn’t have seatbelts let alone car seats. Smoking was seen as good and a help for an expectant mother’s nerves, and many many more things we used to do that we know today are not advisable. You used to be allowed to beat a child today you don’t. Children used to work up chimneys today that’s illegal.

Just because someone managed to raise a human to adult hood doesn’t make them know more or better than today’s standards or expectations.

Dropping a child on their head from standing because you are not paying attention isn’t a oopsie daisy look how silly me, situation. It’s a possible death to a child.

that's an excellent suggestion!

Yikes I’m a grandma and I wouldn’t let you look after your grandchild either. What were you thinking - all small children wriggle and throw themselves around AND you were cooking??
It could have been much, much worse plus I would have definitely taken her to A&E immediately. Remember what happened to Liam Neeson’s wife after a fall onto snow. I have oak wooden floors and they are like concrete.

For gods sake. Soft soaping? Say nothing? Don’t beg? Have a bloody conversation with them. Sort it out. Stop brooding over it and move on. Honestly, is it better just to assume they don’t trust her and never look after the little one again after a small, understandable accident where she acted appropriately?

So many issues in relationships could easily be sorted by a conversation and actually communicating about a situation.

As very small children have only been invented in the past 5 years OP I think it would be more sensible all round to wait until they become much more popular and/or common then you'll be able to find stuff on Google about how they actually work.

I would defo be anxious asking anyone to babysit my child again after something like this happening, not necessarily because I no longer trust that person, but more just the guilt that if something were to happen, I should have been there ect. I always feel nervous with my mum looking after my daughter, as if an accident were to happen, I know my mum would feel absolutely awful and that eats me up! I wouldn’t be blaming her as such

I am obliged to my learned friend.
Yes, but many family pets are gigantic toddler-massacring dogs, and all those modern paranoid parents referred to aren't that frit about them, are they?

Say nothing. They know you would like to look after her again and asking them could put them into an awkward position of saying no or trying to make excuses.

If they need you to step in they will ask, otherwise leave it alone. It's one of those things where least said, soonest mended.

I agree with this. The op should not beg.

For me it wouldn’t be the drop in itself (although that would concern me), it would be the fact you didn’t immediately call for medical advice that would make me think you didn’t see something potentially very serious as a big deal.

That's your thinking. Never let the op near another child again. She managed to bring up her own children who her Dil is married to. Society is becoming less forgiving these days and problematic.

Hmm.

Accidents happen but multi-tasking while holding a squirmy child would concern me. Why wouldn't you just have put her down on a blanket or something if you needed to deal with microwaving food? In your family's shoes, I would be concerned that you also would be holding her while pulling hot food OUT of the microwave, which could be a disaster.

Are you known to be sort of scatty like that? I don't mean it unkindly; I am too, which is one reason I do not take care of small children. Maybe that is their reasoning.

Accidents do happen with kids, but this one was so avoidable and could have ended so badly. My son has had accidents at my parents’ house (tripping up a paved step in garden and scratched all up his legs type stuff) which I totally get and was the one reassuring my crying mom that it was okay! But I feel like I’d probably be a fair bit more hesitant with a head injury on their first time babysitting. I think your best bet is maybe doing some first aid training or something similar to show grandchild’s parents you’re regretful and want to do better in the (hopefully!!) unlikely event anything happened again.

Don’t do this, if they want you to care for her rhey will ask, don’t make them soft soap you and lie.

“Hi DS, I’m brooding a bit on what happened in the summer. I’d love to look after DGD again whenever you like, is there anything I can do to ensure you feel comfortable with it? I know it was an error of judgment to have been holding her and doing the microwave and I’ve taken on board now to make sure as far as possible there are no accidents. I won’t hold it against you if you don’t feel comfortable, I just don’t want it to come between us and I’d like to clear the air”.

my son broke his arm whilst with grandparent. He also bounced his head off a solid headboard with DH watching. And then he pulled a heavy oak bench on to his foot while we were all in attendance. It’s life.

Keep the op away then just in case. My brother got knocked down by a car and was in hospital for 6 weeks at 14. He was going on a trip with the Sea Cadets. Should my parents have never let him out again. He may have had another accident.

If I was your son and DIL you wouldn’t be looking after her alone again either , yes it was an accident but it was an avoidable one .

Oh dear. I’m sure you feel terrible op but I wouldn’t be asking you again either. Sorry.

Op is not a bull mastiff

You dropped a baby from height onto their head and didn't take them to A&E?!

It’s also happened to plenty of children who were life altering ly hurt. The fact your kid was ok doesn’t mean it’s woke rubbish not wanting someone who dropped your baby on their head in a hard floor whilst multi tasking to look after them again is paranoia or woke rubbish.

Sorry, I wouldn’t trust you either, you’ve really got to fully concentrate on little ones, or put them somewhere safe, while you do whatever you’ve got to do.

Paranoid except where the family ‘babysitting’ bull mastiff is concerned, by all accounts.

More paranoia hopefully she hasn't lost any brain cells.