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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to look after granddaughter for childcare but not pick up from nursery?

374 replies

BeCosyFox · 08/03/2025 00:52

My daughter is going back to work soon and plans to have granddaughter in nursery 5 days a week. I have happily offered to have her 3 of those days. I only work part time and would love to look after her on the other days I can. She doesn’t want that and wants her to go to nursery but has asked for some wrap around care. Grandaughter won’t be in nursery full days but half a day with wrap around care from me on the 3 days I can do (as her shift starts later in the day and ends after nursery closing time) I will have her about and hour and a half for those 3 days if I was going by what daughter wants. I just don’t understand why she wouldn’t want me to have her, we have a good relationship and are close and I’ve looked after my other grandchild (from other daughter) in a similar way before he went to school and it was a huge help being able to offer free childcare with lots of one on one time, it’s made me and my grandson have a lovely bond and I’d like the same with my granddaughter. I’m always happy to follow any rules she would like etc but she is adamant on nursery and I cannot understand why that’s the case. So many of my friends say it’s lovely I can offer that and their children would jump at the opportunity for a grandparent to have them over nursery and I agree and am hurt by this to the point that I don’t want to do the wrap around care for nursery. Is it unreasonable to say no to the pick up from nursery even though I’d have her for the whole 3 days? I just feel it’s not a give and take situation and if she doesn’t want me to have her in the day, then I don’t want to do that. I am very hurt she would prefer to pay nursery fees and have her child with nursery workers over her grandmother

OP posts:
35965a · 08/03/2025 10:46

I think it sounds like a great deal for both of you - no matter her reasons, which I doubt are personal. You aren’t tied into 3 fulls days of childcare per week and your DD doesn’t have to worry about you being unwell which would fuck up work for her. You still get to look after your GD, just for less time than you want.

Lucyaugust2007 · 08/03/2025 10:49

You sound like a lovely grandparent.

I wish my children had grown up with a grandparent who was so devoted.

I completely understand you wanting to spend more time with your granddaughter.

Obviously the decision is your daughter's, and she will have her reasons for wanting her to be in nursery.
As she is happy for you to collect her and have her for that hour and a half, it can't be anything personal.

Maybe have a chat with her over coffee, and tell her how you feel.
That way you can both be open with each other and maybe reach a compromise.

EmmaMaria · 08/03/2025 10:54

FWIIW, I think you are both being reasonable, in the absence of any further information. I think that there are definitely benefits to nursery, and having weighed her options, the parent has made a choice based on what they believe is best. But I also think it is then unreasonable of her to ask you to do the "extra" for her convenience, hugely disrupting your freedoms without any real benefit to you. If she wants wrap around care, she needs to pay for it.

And you are entitled to feel what you feel - there is nothing reasonable or unreasonable about that. It's how you feel.

Barbie222 · 08/03/2025 10:55

Nursery is generally a more reliable and rounded option as parents age.

Do you want to be giving five different activity options including getting the paint out and making mud pies every.single.day? What about having other children her age around daily too so she can interact with them as well as you?

What about when you're ill? What happens if your health takes a turn for the worse and you can't maintain the commitment all year?

I'm with your daughter, sounds sensible to me. You'll have a lovely daily relationship with your GD knowing that she's also getting the benefit of everything a nursery can offer that you can't.

BlumminFreezin · 08/03/2025 10:59

In effect, OP, you are saying "you do it my way or I won't see my granddaughter at all"

This. Tbh op, this thread shows that your instant reaction to being told no is to go 'well fuck you then' and throw all your toys out of the pram. It's your way or the highway.

I would think very carefully about times when you may have reacted to situations like this before, that your dc has witnessed - not just with her, with anything. If so, your dd is probably understandably wary.

I've been the child of a parent who offered free childcare that ended in disaster. It was fine for a year and we were very grateful. I bit my tongue over many things when my mum would outright ignore requests. I kept the peace and let her be in charge in her house. Then ONE time I told my mum no. It was over nothing really...just one place I really didn't want him taken. And that was that. I got an outright refusal to accept my request and then an ultimatum of her way over this or she'd not provide childcare.

And there we were. 5pm on a Tuesday night, two full time jobs and zero childcare for a two year old at 8am the next day. It was the most fucking horrific two weeks of our lives as we scrambled to find available childcare whilst trying not to get fired.

And no, even though my mum apologised a month later and asked with dc1 AND our two subsequent dc to look after them X days a week instead of a childminder, we've politely refused ever since and she's never provided ANY regular childcare or pick ups...15 years now. Because there's no way we'd ever put ourselves in that position again.

MiniPumpkin · 08/03/2025 11:00

Nursery are able to source additional staff if staff are sick, and in my last 6 years of using nurseries they have only closed once due to lack of staff associated with school strike.
my mum was the same, offering to help. She does help with pick ups. However what you cannot predict is illness. What will your daughter do if you are unwell, either long or short term. My mum was very unwell for approx 6 months. If she had been my only childcare I would have to have went off sick or taken unpaid leave from work.
this arrangement means I don’t feel so bad asking my mum to maybe look after my kids while I get my hair done (not very often) on a weekend.
imo it is not a good idea to have one person doing childcare.

Barbie222 · 08/03/2025 11:01

Katypp · 08/03/2025 10:35

What I take from this thread is utterly is a sad state of affairs when the woman who raised you is not deemed capable of helping out with your children.
What has happened to families that paid help is considered a better option than a living grandparent?
I can only assume it's down to control - parents can control what happens at nursery to a certain degree.
It's so sad when qualifications and an institution are favoured over grandma's house, but that's modern parenting for you, when no one knows anything but the parent, the child is used as a bargainig chip and only research carried out since year zero (ie about 2024) means anything.

This is absolutely ridiculous. Comments like these have no place today when good nursery provision has been proven to be so impactful on children's development and should be priority number one in our education system. We should be encouraging more use of nurseries and valuing them highly, rather than diminishing their value with ill informed comment like this.

CautiousLurker01 · 08/03/2025 11:04

Surely when you offer help to a person you provide the help that they ask for, not what you think they should have? It would be like someone asking to borrow a pint of milk, but you insist on giving them butter?

The help your DD needs is a few hours after nursery each week, not several full days. What you are doing is the equivalent of saying I want to help but ONLY by doing X; when what DD needs is Y. You are centring your needs, not those of your DD - or DGC.

Am sure you are a lovely, devoted mother and grandmother - but if you genuinely want to help your DD and DGC, surely you provide the actual help she is asking for, not dictate the terms and conditions upon which you are willing to help?

Haveiwon · 08/03/2025 11:09

Barbie222 · 08/03/2025 11:01

This is absolutely ridiculous. Comments like these have no place today when good nursery provision has been proven to be so impactful on children's development and should be priority number one in our education system. We should be encouraging more use of nurseries and valuing them highly, rather than diminishing their value with ill informed comment like this.

What can a nursery provide education-wise for a one year old that a parent/ grandparent/ nanny can not? Research actually shows nurseries have no benefit until 3 and that having one consistent caregiver is better for the child.

Plus nursery/ daycare is often staffed by young women with minimal education. The educational quality of daycare is very minimal. Pre-school at 3 is a totally different matter but is normally only for a few hours a day as young child can’t learn for more than that.

But our society isnt set up for this, it doesn’t work for working people- which the majority of parents are. So we make do with nursery for 8+ hours a day. Having enough money is obviously very important to our children wellbeing too. But kidding ourselves that 8+ hours nursery 5 days a week is ideal of our children is ridiculous.

AngelicKaty · 08/03/2025 11:12

OutandAboutMum1821 · 08/03/2025 10:36

No, my Mum would definitely still help, that’s a fair point. For example, my Mum will have our children overnight, but if we need her to babysit at ours instead if we have early plans the next morning she is very relaxed and flexible about it all.

I just think some people nowadays are very critical of their own parents/ILs despite the fact that in the majority of cases these people did their best with their own children.

How would you feel in future if you offered help to your DGs but were made to feel less trustworthy/capable than a paid non-family member? We’ll get our turn as GPs remember…

Just because OP is choosing to believe that her DD's decision is a judgement on her care-giving skills, doesn't make that so and I don't know why some people keep assuming this.
OP's DD has given her reasons as to why she wants her DD to go to nursery, but OP doesn't want to hear them because they don't align with what she wants. OP's DD has a career so she needs 100% reliable day-care five days a week. None of us knows what the future holds - OP may have to let her DD down for just a week because she catches, say, the flu, but that's three days OP's DD would be left in the lurch with her work. Even worse (and heaven forbid) OP could become seriously ill and be able to provide hardly any day-care, or at all - what is her DD supposed to do then when she's made no provision for nursery day-care and can't get a placement for her DD?
I am genuinely surprised at the women on here (admittedly, in the minority) who aren't more supportive of OP's DD who is trying to juggle her career with being a mum - she and her DP have made what they feel is the best decision for their little family and OP should respect it.

Blondeshavemorefun · 08/03/2025 11:16

3 days childcare is a lot every week for any gp

prehaps your daughter doesn’t want to burden you

plus always the risk you are poorly and can’t look after or go away and they are are screwed

many gp on here say how tired they are and want to help but shattered and their kids can’t afford childcare etx

maybe offer one day

SouthLondonMum22 · 08/03/2025 11:20

I declined childcare from Grandparents for various reasons but none of those reasons was because I didn't trust them.

Nurseries are reliable, if one person is unwell, nursery is still open and I can still work
I didn't want to mix family and regular childcare because it always seems to end in tears and/or hurt feelings

etc

If you want to help her, listen to her and accept that is what will help her. It sounds like you are just disappointed she doesn't require you for the childcare you wanted to provide so you want to refuse helping all together.

AngelicKaty · 08/03/2025 11:21

BlumminFreezin · 08/03/2025 10:59

In effect, OP, you are saying "you do it my way or I won't see my granddaughter at all"

This. Tbh op, this thread shows that your instant reaction to being told no is to go 'well fuck you then' and throw all your toys out of the pram. It's your way or the highway.

I would think very carefully about times when you may have reacted to situations like this before, that your dc has witnessed - not just with her, with anything. If so, your dd is probably understandably wary.

I've been the child of a parent who offered free childcare that ended in disaster. It was fine for a year and we were very grateful. I bit my tongue over many things when my mum would outright ignore requests. I kept the peace and let her be in charge in her house. Then ONE time I told my mum no. It was over nothing really...just one place I really didn't want him taken. And that was that. I got an outright refusal to accept my request and then an ultimatum of her way over this or she'd not provide childcare.

And there we were. 5pm on a Tuesday night, two full time jobs and zero childcare for a two year old at 8am the next day. It was the most fucking horrific two weeks of our lives as we scrambled to find available childcare whilst trying not to get fired.

And no, even though my mum apologised a month later and asked with dc1 AND our two subsequent dc to look after them X days a week instead of a childminder, we've politely refused ever since and she's never provided ANY regular childcare or pick ups...15 years now. Because there's no way we'd ever put ourselves in that position again.

This 👆with KNOBS ON!

TheOriginalEmu · 08/03/2025 11:37

HoppingPavlova · 08/03/2025 04:16

She will have her reasons for feeling that nursery is the better option for her child. YABU

Obviously she does have her reasons, which is fine. It just doesn’t make sense though.

If she’d prefer the child in nursery, no problems at all. BUT that’s not what she is wanting. She is wanting her mum basically not to be able to do much for 3 days a week to work around picking up from nursery and having them for an hour and a half.

That shoots down all the - doesn’t want to restrict mum’s lifestyle, doesn’t want to prohibit mum going on holidays, what if mum is sick. The reality is mum is still tied down for 3 whole days a week for the sake of 1.5hrs. No way I’d do that as a grandparent. It’s weird.

No she isn’t tied down at all. She has all day until 5.30-6pm to do as she pleases.

user13842 · 08/03/2025 11:37

YABVU and very petty. Your daughter will have her reasons for wanting her daughter in nursery full time. There is nothing wrong with nursery full time. At least she knows she’ll never be caught short if you are ill or need to change your work days or have a holiday booked. She has asked for your help for wraparound care and you are throwing your toys out the pram by wanting to refuse because you can’t have her as much as you would like. This is a very ‘me me me’ attitude.

Your daughter did not have her child to make you a grandmother, she had her to make her a mother. And as her mother you should support her decisions, even if they’re not to your liking.

jacks11 · 08/03/2025 11:44

YABVU

You would not unreasonable had you simply decided that the arrangement suggested doesn’t suit you- I can see it would potentially be quite tying to provide care for such a short period 3 days per week. But that is not the reason why you don’t want to do it, is it? The real reason that you don’t want to do it because you aren’t getting exactly what you wanted. It’s childish and manipulative, if you put it like that to your daughter.

From what you have written in subsequent posts, I can entirely see why your daughter would not want you to do the level of care you would prefer. She has legitimate reasons, which you simply dismiss. If you dismiss her decisions in this matter because you don’t happen to agree with them, what else might you decide to dismiss or ignore, should you not agree with her choices? You can argue all you like that you’d respect her wishes when it comes to your granddaughter, if we’re caring for her- but you aren’t demonstrating your willingness to do that thus far, so I’m not convinced. Perhaps that’s true for your daughter too?

You also sound quite callous when it comes to the fact that your grandson looks to you more than his mother at times- you can’t see that this would seriously upset some (? most) parents? Moreover, you seem to actively WANT that- I’d be quite aware of how it could be upsetting to your daughter/her partner and in your shoes I’d try to encourage the child to look for mummy/daddy too. You seem more than happy about it though, which doesn’t come across well. It reads a bit like you are in competition with the child’s mother/parents to be the favourite/the one they look to for comfort. That is a huge issue and, if accurate (as opposed to just the way you have written it), something I suspect your daughter has seen this play out with your grandson and has thought better of the arrangement. Perhaps she also thinks you’ve overstepped other boundaries with your grandson, or is worried that you will with her daughter- given your dismissive attitude towards her choices?

Also, she perhaps needs the certainty- if you are sick/suddenly have to change work days (temporarily or permanently), have an emergency elsewhere, an appointment you can’t change etc, she has no flexibility with nursery to add on hours. This way she knows what she has to cover (bar her DD being too sick to go to nursery) and can make suitable arrangements. You don’t have to like her choices, you do have to respect them.

Having grandparents do childcare can be wonderful, but it can cause issues too, even if both parties enter into it with the best of intentions and good relationships. In my own circle of friends, I have seen grandparents use the childcare they provide as leverage to manipulate their children to do things as they wanted/when they wanted, grandparents who thought providing childcare gave them the right to interfere in the way their grandchildren were brought up to a staggering degree, and resentment on both sides (e.g. disagreement about something small, parents want things done as they prefer, grandparents feeling under appreciated/ distrusted when they are doing their child a big favour by caring for the dgc). It can work well, but does need careful planning, boundaries on both sides, and a lot of mutual respect.

You don’t have to like her choices, you do have to respect both her right to make decisions about her daughter and the decisions she makes (unless she is abusive or neglectful, obviously). Especially since you have asked her about why she has made this choice and she’s explained her reasoning. It sounds like you have expressed your doubts about her reasons from what you’ve written (perhaps not), and despite that she still plans on using the nursery. Now you have to leave it there- you’ve asked her why, she’s told you and you’ve had a chance to state your views for her to consider. Despite this she’s chosen to go with her original plan. So, if you want to be a good parent, you accept it with good grace and decide whether you would like to do the nursery pick ups to spend time with your DGC or not. If you don’t want to, feel it would be too much of an inconvenience for a short time with her or whatever, then that’s absolutely legitimate and fair- just explain to your DD that isn’t agreeable to you. She would turn be unreasonable if she did not accept your decision with good grace.

scotstars · 08/03/2025 11:52

Maybe she worries it would become to much for you or just wants the routine for her daughter. It's very difficult when you rely on 1 person for childcare what happens if you are unwell or have an appointment or holiday? My mum looked after my son when I went back to work and less than a year later was going through cancer treatment things can be consistent with nursery

OutandAboutMum1821 · 08/03/2025 11:58

AngelicKaty · 08/03/2025 11:12

Just because OP is choosing to believe that her DD's decision is a judgement on her care-giving skills, doesn't make that so and I don't know why some people keep assuming this.
OP's DD has given her reasons as to why she wants her DD to go to nursery, but OP doesn't want to hear them because they don't align with what she wants. OP's DD has a career so she needs 100% reliable day-care five days a week. None of us knows what the future holds - OP may have to let her DD down for just a week because she catches, say, the flu, but that's three days OP's DD would be left in the lurch with her work. Even worse (and heaven forbid) OP could become seriously ill and be able to provide hardly any day-care, or at all - what is her DD supposed to do then when she's made no provision for nursery day-care and can't get a placement for her DD?
I am genuinely surprised at the women on here (admittedly, in the minority) who aren't more supportive of OP's DD who is trying to juggle her career with being a mum - she and her DP have made what they feel is the best decision for their little family and OP should respect it.

You didn’t answer my question.

So when you are a GP, you’ll never air a different opinion about anything to your child or in-laws? You’ll accept without comment any interaction being completely on their terms, accept being criticised due to new parenting methods (which there will be)? Yeah, I’m not buying it. Modern parents are very controlling, and will be in for a few shocks when they are GPS themselves, I have no doubt about that.

The reality of real life is that nobody has to agree with anybody about anything, so we’ll have to agree to disagree- that’s life! Nobody will change my mind that time with family comes first.

ExIssues · 08/03/2025 12:08

lolly792 · 08/03/2025 08:41

Some posters haven't a clue. Children in nurseries aren't cooped up in a room all day. My kids went to a nursery where there was a large garden, a field and outdoor play / activities daily. Lots of creative activities indoors too.

If the only nursery care available to you or affordable for you is somewhere where kids are cooped up in one room all day, then I feel sorry for you, and if I'd been in your situation I'd have had to give up work or try to use a relative for cheap childcare.

Honestly it's so transparent that a minority of posters feel quite aggrieved that some children go to nursery, absolutely thrive and grow up just as healthy, happy and well adjusted as children who don't. Smacks a little of mummy martyr syndrome, that unless mum has jacked in work or made huge sacrifices to avoid using childcare, she's failed in some way. I guess if you feel you've made such a huge sacrifice, you want to feel your children somehow grow up 'better,' and I guess it frustrates you when children who've been in nursery grow up just as wonderful.

Your nursery was pretty unusual then. Most nurseries for 1 year olds will be a single room. Most nurseries do not have a field, unless attached to a school.

My kids went to nursery. I went to work. I can still see that it isn't ideal for a 1 year old to do 5 days a week in a nursery.

OutandAboutMum1821 · 08/03/2025 12:08

Barbie222 · 08/03/2025 11:01

This is absolutely ridiculous. Comments like these have no place today when good nursery provision has been proven to be so impactful on children's development and should be priority number one in our education system. We should be encouraging more use of nurseries and valuing them highly, rather than diminishing their value with ill informed comment like this.

Of course her comment has ‘a place today’, she is as entitled to her opinion as you are to yours. Guess what- in the real world Nursery is not the be all and end all for all mothers, many still prefer their own mothering for their babies and toddlers to that provided by anybody else, whether nurseries or grandparents. Nursery is not and should never be compulsory, as school is not (my children do attend state school, but I fully respect those who decide to home educate instead). Who would want to live in a dictatorship like that?! I wouldn’t put much faith in the government trying to brainwash everyone into the benefits of nurseries either- they just want our extra tax money. Wake up!

AngelicKaty · 08/03/2025 12:17

@OutandAboutMum1821
You don't need to "buy" it. I didn't answer your question because it's not relevant to me. I don't have children so I couldn't possibly become a grand-mother.

I wouldn't expect you to change your mind that "time with family comes first" because you base that on your healthy family dynamic, which I'm sure is lovely, but sadly, many families aren't like yours. And given your great familial relationships, I can't believe you think that an OP who writes "I agree and am hurt by this to the point that I don’t want to do the wrap around care for nursery" indicates a healthy family dynamic, but if you do, we will most certainly have to agree to disagree. 😊

HJA87 · 08/03/2025 12:30

OutandAboutMum1821 · 08/03/2025 12:08

Of course her comment has ‘a place today’, she is as entitled to her opinion as you are to yours. Guess what- in the real world Nursery is not the be all and end all for all mothers, many still prefer their own mothering for their babies and toddlers to that provided by anybody else, whether nurseries or grandparents. Nursery is not and should never be compulsory, as school is not (my children do attend state school, but I fully respect those who decide to home educate instead). Who would want to live in a dictatorship like that?! I wouldn’t put much faith in the government trying to brainwash everyone into the benefits of nurseries either- they just want our extra tax money. Wake up!

Edited

Exactly, there appears to only be a few of us left that have not been brainwashed into the rhetoric that babies need education and are better cared for by (badly run and underfunded) institutions than their own mothers. And the mothers cheer and clap at the “free” childcare being provided earlier and earlier. Soon we will be like the USA where the babies are practically separated from the parents at birth and chucked into daycare. Yes, of course there are exceptions. Where there are mental health issues, addictions etc, the babies are better away from the family.

SouthLondonMum22 · 08/03/2025 12:42

ExIssues · 08/03/2025 12:08

Your nursery was pretty unusual then. Most nurseries for 1 year olds will be a single room. Most nurseries do not have a field, unless attached to a school.

My kids went to nursery. I went to work. I can still see that it isn't ideal for a 1 year old to do 5 days a week in a nursery.

Not that unusual because my DC's nursery is similar. They certainly aren't just in a single room all day.

They have a separate sensory/soft play room as well as large outdoor areas and take them outside on regular outings around the local area.

Bababear987 · 08/03/2025 12:59

You sound like you're basically saying to your daughter "if I dont get what I want with regards to childcare for YOUR daughter then i wont provide you with any help at all" and that 'my way or the highway' attitude is probably why she doesnt want you involved and I dont blame her one bit. It sounds quite controlling and like blackmail tbh.

The decisions your daughter makes for her child are none of your business so get with the programme or dont but you cant demand something then throw your dummies out of the pram when you dont get your way. I'd be very careful about how you address this issue because you may end up only seeing your granddaughter at the weekends or potentially only a few times a year as I assume they will have family plans at the weekend.

My son loves his nursery they play outside, do sensory play, paint and I know what he eats and when he sleeps and they are great at keeping in contact with pictures and updates throughout the day so dont know why so much nursery bashing on here.

Theoldbird · 08/03/2025 13:04

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

I've reported this post, such a moronic thing to say. Honestly you should be ashamed of yourself.