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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Is my friends mum BU by expecting to be paid for babysitting her grandchild?

184 replies

IsChippyMintonExDirectory · 08/07/2014 12:50

Posting on behalf of a friend who doesn't 'do' the internet (total luddite)

She has an 11 month old son and is going back to work next month 4 days per week. Her and her DH can only afford 2 days a week at nursery for their DS, so the DHs parents are having him on the 3rd day (they work part-time and can accomodate this) and she has asked her mum to have him on the 4th day.

Her mum (who's 54) isn't retired but she is in a sense - i.e. she hasn't officially taken early retirement and released her pension, but she never intends to work again and is supported financially by her husband. My friends mum wants to be paid for the days she looks after her grandchild. 25 a day shes asking for (which is half the price of nursery). She says it's because her husband doesn't earn a lot and it will take her away from her domestic jobs (by that she means the chickens and geese they look after daily).

My friend and her DH earn good money, but not enough to budget for 4 days a week at nursery (which would be 200 per week). They can afford to pay the extra 25 a week, but my friend is feeling a bit indiginant about being charged by her own mum, who won't lose out financially from looking after her grandson.

her and her mum have a volatile relationship and she hasn't been particularly interested in her grandson, she does see him but not very often (my friend has to take him to her mums to make this happen).

Who IBU here? My friend has told her mum she'll think about it.

OP posts:
sykadelic · 10/07/2014 03:48

I would definitely offer money. I'd much rather pay my mum to look after my kids than a stranger!

Iownafourinchporsche · 10/07/2014 09:10

100 a month would only cover activities, food, odd treats (think swimming, coffee out, petrol, lunch and breakfast in). 100 really wouldn't be payment but just covering costs.

Iownafourinchporsche · 10/07/2014 09:11

Sorry I meant 12.50 a day, giving mother half of 25

Bobulate · 10/07/2014 10:04

I think your friend should look elsewhere - I wouldn't want someone like that looking after my child and there is a reason the relationship is volatile. I think the grandmother is BU.

Willow33 · 11/07/2014 18:35

Er Phaedrais it wasn't supposed to be an insult, otherwise I would not have posted. A different way of thinking.

Zoomzoomzoomzoom · 26/07/2014 22:27

I found someone's video blog on this exact topic. Offers some interesting points about grandparents babysitting over the summer holidays.

sarahbeswick11plus.co.uk/iphone/iphoneletterfromsarah.html

EarthWindFire · 26/07/2014 22:52

It was also

EarthWindFire · 26/07/2014 22:52

It was also one of the topics on 'the Wright Stuff' not that long ago.

ghostmous3 · 27/07/2014 00:24

I used to pay my dad 80 a month to look after ds wheni worked and this was 14 years ago.

I didnt mind, my dad used to take him out in the car for drives, make him meals, etc and the extra money suitedhim and it meant that I didnt have to pay for childcare.

My dad and ds became very close as a result, now i would pay even more just to have him to do the same for my other daughters. Dad died 7 years ago.

I think your friend ibu actually and taking the pee a bit. She is asking her mum to do regular childcare, its not even the odd night here or there.

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