this thing of dumping babies and toddlers on grandparents for a weekend or a week so the parents can have some 'me' time - is it a new thing?

[myleftcrutch]

I don't remember this happening when I was young (back in the 70s). I do remember staying over with relatives or friends when I was much, much older.

But I don't remember this whole culture of leaving your baby or very yonung child with a grandparent for a weekend so you could go on a raunchy weekend away, or just leaving them overnight so you could have a night out and a lie in in the morning?

Pretty much everyone I know seems to do this - and I know this will get me flamed but it seems to be the PARENTS (note I say parents, not mothers) who work full time and see the least of their children as it is who are desperate to get away from them come the weekend.

What's that all about then, have people always done it, or is it just a sign of how we are as a society these days?

Not a new thing.

And piss off judgy-pants.

Here have a

And another for the working parents- lack of time spent with kids comment

Or, another one, going ski-ing as your family holiday and bringing MIL to look after the toddlers all day while you ignore them and ski.

My parents used to leave us with a nanny for the weekend while they went away with friends
no harm came to us
my mum was a sahm

I remember my parents going on holiday and leaving brother and I with grandparents, but as you say we were much older - certainly at school.

My nephew has stayed with his grandparents every Saturday night pretty much since birth, so his parents could go out on Saturday and have a lie in on Sunday. If in-laws don't do Saturday night they offer an alternative.

I can't really complain, as my parents looked after mine when they were small, but that's because I was at work, not so I could have a break.

I'm having a break tomorrow. For the first time in five years, I will be at home for the day without the boys. They are at school, and I'm not! Daytime TV and Mumsnet are beckoning.....I just hope it doesn't snow!

I remember staying at my gran overnight a few times during my childhood (80's), but not more than a dozen occasion in total, when the Ps went for a dinner or once on a trip.
Not sure if it happens more now, I only know SIL & BIL rely on my in laws a lot for their boys.
We don't because we have no parents in the vicinity, not sure whether we would otherwise, though.

Oooh, I hope so.

Where do I sign up?

"how we are as a society" - do elaborate, I'm genuinely curious

I was going to comment, but I dont feel the need to explain the way I choose to live my life to you.

Jog on my dear.

course it's not a new thing. My parents left me with my grandparents for 2 weeks when I was 1 so they could go to Egypt on their own! I don't remember anything about it of course!!!

Stop being so judgmental. It's probably the working parents who most need a break.

for you

Now go away.

'this thing of dumping...'

and

Well, I can only speak for myself but I hate all 3 of our children with a passion. So does my partner. That's why we both work full time. I've put all 3 in boarding school, including my youngest (15 months), and work 8 days a week but obviously am very stuck when I need me time in the holidays. It's then that I turn to grandparents, aunties, neighbours, second cousins and distant acquaintances for some help.

guess it is a matter of perspective, to you unwanted dc are dumped on gp, to me it is an extended family who are close and supporting each other

I would love to be able to do this, it must really foster a lovely relationship between gp and gc

I will do this for my own dc if I am fit enough and they wish it

Or, the whole, taking two weeks annual leave thing and leaving your child at nursery for a whole week of it so you can do important things like go to ikea.

In the 70's some children would be taken abroad and left with their grandparents and cousins for weeks during the summer holidays.
Whilst their parents went to work.

Stick that in your pipe and smoke it judgey-pants

seriously op, you are taking the piss, aren't you?

I spent loads of time with my grandparents

Was bliss - was a child of the 70's

Anyway, am not going to get drawn into this crappy argument

Amazed that the OP went for working FT parents so quickly

Or telling someone you are 'babysitting' when looking after your own child! Maybe it's just me but I was genuinely confused when I colleague said that was how she was going to spend her evening!

Maybe it's become the norm because most people couldn't afford to pay for more than one holiday a year in the 70's so that was a family one?

in the seventies we were just tied to a lampost.

Auto- Hahahahah! Class!

YABVU and judgemental.

Was much better in the old days when GPs lived with you in the same two roomed slum or you had fifteen children to babysit each other, or you had a nanny and a governess.

Although they didn't have IKEA, so swings and roundabouts.

plus in the 70s you were allowed to drug your kids for peace anyway, so no need for babysitters.

nowadays the little feckers are fully concious.