Did I really send that email to in-laws??

[Alittlebitfunny]

Massive cringeworthy parenting moment....
I was searching for an old email and found one to my parents in law nearly ten years ago. They used to have my then 2 year old for one day a week. It's polite but lonnnnggg....and sets out a number of very detailed "requests" around potty training, snacks and daytime naps. I can't believe I sent it!

Both poorly these days. I always let them know how appreciated their company was but I wish I could apologise for that email!!

Oh god, I wrote 4 pages of instructions the first time my mum looked after our cat! I cringe now!! She’s kept them, alongside the much briefer half a page the first time she looked after DD 😂

Awh! I still do this with my mum and she needs it 🤣 I wonder what it'll be like looking back in 10 years xxx

Same here

Ha ha I did this for the childminder! OMG so embarrassing looking back!

I'm with you @pictoosh

Full respect to passing out the full
Lyrics to bohemian rhapsody though 😂

Hahaha you prompted me to search my emails to see if I ever sent one to MIL and yep I did 🙈, it was literally a step by step guide of how to care for a 9mo 😂

They were probably happy that you took such care with your child.

Yep full song right down to any way the wind blows.

Unfortunately it was the only song I knew all the lyrics to, so poor DS got it sang multiple times a day.

My friend is an absolute superstar, it's made us laugh a lot of the last 11 years! She wondered if I'd rigged up secret cameras to send it to you've been framed.

This is such a funny thread 🤣 we all just want the best for them don’t we 🥰
I actually had the opposite really. my MIL looks after my boy for us 1.5 days a week so I can work and also whenever we need a babysitter of an evening, she’s quite fantastic but she is such a worrier!! I was happy with just saying ‘he eats at x, y and z times, naptime is at 12 and bedtime is about 6:30’ but bless her heart, she insisted on me writing down a detailed routine, and I mean DETAILED. It was two bloody pages once I’d included the miscellaneous information she requested as well 🤣 my husband thought I was losing my marbles!

I aspire to having a friend as good as this. Goals!

Granny here, who really appreciated having detailed instructions!!!

I remember the first time we left our son with MIL for 3-4 hours; limited instruction, all bases covered. Except it had been about 40 years since she's changed a nappy and even then it was a terry one with a safety pin-she's never used a disposable one. I felt awful when we got back. She just laughed and said she's figured it out eventually, but I was so embarrassed 🤣🤣

Never mention it, don’t worry about it. It’s years ago now and they were new parents once too - you are obviously close so they’ve not held it against you.

Don’t bring it up now and risk them relaying a years old irritation that they’ve probably not thought about until it was mentioned.

My mum still has the detailed list of timings and requirements I gave her 18 years ago when she had my 8 month old overnight 🤣 she enjoys getting out to show me and make me cringe!

Also - not all notes re care instructions are irrelevant or daft new parent anxieties.

My parents flagrantly ignored my advice re nappy changes and my baby being prone to nappy rash because neither my sibling or I had ever had it.

Once I thought was a simple mistake, but after the second time when my baby came back with livid nappy rash (after being with them for 6 hours), I did have to be firm, if they wished to continue having caring responsibilities then they did have to do what I said.

My SIL gave my mum (4 kids of her own + a sought after and busy childminder at the time) a detailed routine WITH DIAGRAMS every time she looked after my nephew for the first 2 years! She drew pictures of a long sleeved and a short sleeved vest etc. She even laminated them 😂 Mum has kept them and I'm dying for the day they resurface!

I “helpfully” provided a A4 folder complete with dividers, a different section for feeding , nappies, play time, which story books to read, emergency numbers, clothing and nap time, all timed to the minuet. DD was three months old and I was leaving her for approximately 6 hours!

OK this is a bit bonkers 🤣

DSis sent me videos of eg nappy changes so I could refer back to them. I’d never looked after a baby before, and was really grateful. Still ended up calling my mum for moral support.

She didn’t send one of how to put the sodding rain cover on the pram, either. Had to YouTube that from the shelter of a bus stop.

I had a little book in my dcs baby bags with instructions, the few people who babysat knew about it so it didn't feel that precious.

With my first 2 dc I also added a cd of me singing lullabies as well (and I cannot hold a tune at all).

On the rare times I had a night out/away it would get to their bedtimes and I would shed a little tear thinking of my babies making do with a CD of me singing and missing me so much.

Now they are older I recognise that the CD was hopefully never played and I was being a twat and a half.

Fucking brilliant.

I remember once starting to talk through the routine I had with DD to my mum. Except we saw my DP most days, my mum was already aware of the routine that DD had, and she was the 2nd eldest of 9 (she helped to look after a lot of her younger siblings), a mum of 4, and grandma of 7, and a nursery nurse!!

FWIW, I think writing out things like that are really useful.

Grandma here... I would want as much detail as possible!

Yes I've raised my own, but not yours!

My mum was terrified of going off plan