Apologies for the long post.....
I am due to go back to work next week and my mother has very kindly agreed to have the kids (2 boys, 6 & 8). Background is....I am a single parent. my mother hates my father (v long unhappy co-habitting marriage - no judgements needed, it's just shit and she chooses this!) and welcomes getting out of the house. She often wants to stay at mine anyway but now she will be 'officially' coming to stay for 2 nights a week. She is retired. I will be working 2 X 13 hour consecutive shifts which means she will be staying the the night before - due to my early start - and the night in the middle of my 2 shifts. My question is, should I
A) pay her for childcare
B) pay her fuel expenses
C) pay her nothing
I would really welcome some opinions as my close friends think that given as I will be preparing (slow cooker) food for her/she wants to stay out away from my dad/she stays that much anyway, I shouldn't give her money. Whilst others think that she is my 'childcare' and that as I can't get any other that would cover long shifts, should pay her appropriately.
Any thoughts??!