Was this just a bit eccentric or downright weird?

[Alloverthegrapevine]

It happened a long time ago and the DC involved is now an adult, with no apparent long term harm but I relayed this story to a friend, who was horrified. I was telling the story of a lovely grandad who did things his own way but who the DGC benefited enormously from having in their life.

DS was about 2yo and my DDad was minding him one day per week while I worked. Dad is a bit eccentric but he's very capable and adores his DGC.

I got home one evening to find DS in his nappy and DDad in his underpants with the heating turned up high. DS had been sick a number of times (which I knew nothing about until I got home) resulting in numerous clothing changes and DDad had decided not to create any more washing.

Unusual but not sinister, or is it?

Downright weird, yes. Sinister, we have no way of knowing.

Sounds sensible to me.
If he hadn’t been a close relative I may have found it off but it sounds like he was close and a regular career for the child.
Also nice that he didn’t worry you.

Seems like common sense to me! How many changes would DS have had at his GF's house?

Not sinister.

Just run of the mill weirdness.

Sounds very sensible to me although I’m not sure it would ever get hot enough for me to run around in just my pants . I would in no way think anything sinister unless there is a huge backstory that you’ve not mentioned .

I don't think we can know, just from these details.
Was the child clearly unwell, was there evidence of sickness at the time?

I used to drop him off with a couple of change of clothes. By the time I got home all the used clothes were washed, dried and ironed

It was DDad's lack of clothes that disturbed friend and he'd have had a wardrobe full.

Dad and DS are still really close, it was lovely that they had that regular time together

Yes, DS continued to be ill for another 24 hours

Seems fine to me. Why keep changing clothes (DC and Dad) to keep getting puked all over?

your dad probably took his clothes off as the heating was up high to keep ds warm. i dont see anything wrong at all.

After he’d changed clothes a couple of time I’m not totally surprised he’d think “ah fuck it” and not bother! I mean it’s a bit odd but not entirely out there. Plenty of times I’ve cleaned up and dealt with sicky children in the middle of the night with next to nothing on. Your own outfit isn’t exactly at the forefront of your mine!

sounds like the sort of obvious and sensible (to him) thing my autistic child would do for himself, or his child or grandchild someday.

this is exactly the sort of sensible to him situation I worry may someday get him labelled as criminally weird when someone whose thinking is very inside the box and traditional and sexually suspicious takes notice.

Not sinister at all. Perhaps it was just the era your dad was from that made him feel quite comfortable without being fully clothed. I was a child of the 70s... my dad was very unembarrassed about nudity! There was nothing inappropriate about it though.

My DH has done this when our DDs were little and would puke all over themselves. Shower and clean up but stay in towels / undies so could just hop straight back in shower with them if they were sick again.
Mine had a knack of getting sick whenever I was away or about to travel so it was usually him dealing with it single handed.

My Dad and Granddad were not comfortable with nudity but they would have thought nothing of parading about the house in long johns or matching vest and Y fronts. Give this no more thought, it was 'all boys together' and quite a usual mindset at the time.

Not weird at all. I wouldn’t stay in my underwear in that situation but it sounds like typical “man-logic” (yes, I’m saying that) not to keep creating washing. Or he might have run out of clean clothes? Baby in nappy I wouldn’t even bat an eyelid.

I remember one day and night with DD1 when she was about 2, just constantly vomiting.

We’d gone through so many clothes that in the end, I thought fuck it and gave up getting us both dressed - I put a bikini on, I remember thinking to myself, in my slightly sleep deprived state, that a bikini was more ‘dressed’ than sitting around in a bra and pants 😂

Sounds fine and quite sensible tbh

Your Dad didn't want any more of his clothes covered in puke, simple. Your friend is weird.

I'm assuming that DF turned up heating to prevent DS being cold in just a nappy but it meant that DF was too hot in clothes, so resorted to a like for like outfit.

I'd kid of find it funny to be honest!

I found it funny maxdash, which is why I was telling the story, but friend was so shocked I wondered if I'd completely misread it.

As long as you have no other niggles or concerns re inappropriate behaviour then I really wouldn't worry about it.

It's a very pragmatic and masculine solution to a problem. I bet he was feeling very pleased with himself.

Nothing untoward at all.

I don't even find all that weird, much less sinister.
I'm very impressed at the baby clothes being washed,dried and laundered tbh.

One of my favourite childhood memories/stories are with my mum's aunt and uncle. Aunt(very prim and proper ) was the priest , I was the bride in one of his white work shirts and he was the groom. There was a lot of mucking about , a mix between me being quite young but taking it all very seriously, aunt trying to say the "ceremony" words etc . It all got so ridiculous and hilarious that aunt laughed until she peed her pants.

I'm sure the story can be twisted into creepy,weird,sinister etc. But it really was nothing and like I said one of my favourite memories. Mostly because of the peeing.