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DSIL looking after DS WWYD? (Sorry it's kind of long)

29 replies

Crocodilehunter · 04/08/2013 20:57

DSIL has offered to look after DS every Monday when I return to work from Mat leave (next Monday eeeek)
The problem is that I am fast starting to doubt her reliability!

She and DS have had a nice little relationship and he likes her but doesnt know her well enough to be with her problem/tear free for a prolonged period so Over the past few weeks We've been arranging for her to come round every Monday to get to know DS and his routine a little better and Monday just gone I took DS round to spend the afternoon with DSIL alone and here are where the problems have started!

so 1st of all on their first afternoon alone I got a phonecall from DMIL to say that DS was v upset and they wanted me to pick him up because they it wasn't fair on him to be so upset!

I went to collect him and they assured me that DSIL had tried everything she canto calm him but DS was just not for settling, DP asked what would happen in this situation when returned to work and DMIL said they would just have to put up with it well if that's the case why couldn't you just put up with it like you're going to do when I'm back at work is that harsh of me?

2nd of all, midweek, DMIL tells DP that she is taking a holiday late August because DSIL has made plans already (fair enough to making other plans but why not tell the parents of the children you have offered to look after so they know what is going on first hand)

3rd of all DSIL was supposed to be having DS for the day tomo but has text during the day to say she is at a wedding so is it alright if we give tomo a miss because she knows she is going to be rough! She has promised DP that this is a one off and it will not happen again!

After the first and second point the third thing just made me doubt whether we can really rely on her to make a commitment like this, she is 22 (which doesn't really make a difference to me as I'm only 24 suppose i'm just trying to highlight the lack of life experience) but has never really had to have anyone count on her like we're counting on her!

It also bothers me that a lot of the information is being passed to us through DMIL instead of direct from her!

She did offer to take this commitment and after what happened last Monday we have given her an outright opportunity to back out if she feels it might be a bit too much for her ATM making it clear that there would be no hard feelings, which she has turned down!

WWYD In this situation?

OP posts:
Steben · 04/08/2013 21:10

Did the offer of child care come through dmil? Or dsil?

RenterNomad · 04/08/2013 21:09

Don't give her the opportunity: take it yourself!

Anyway, it sounds like your SIL is being railroaded into it by her mother, and isn't really committed to it herself.

OutragedFromLeeds · 04/08/2013 21:07

A few questions;

Why is DSIL not working?

Are you paying her to look after DS?

What childcare are you using the rest of the week?

Can you afford to pay for 'proper' childcare on that day?

Cindy34 · 04/08/2013 21:07

Was the afternoon a trial - if so, does seem strange that they call you as soon as it starts to go wrong. How old is DS? Children will be upset initially, or even later on once the novelty wears off.

Reliability would worry me, though it is early days. Have they ever done anything in the past, job wise - where they reliable in that job or did they get the sack, or leave due to attendance issues?