Help me make sence of what went on here.

[LynetteScavo]

Dm came to look after my 3 DCs for a couple of hours yesterday.

During tea DS1 was very silly; blowing bubble in his drink with a staw and gargling. The younger two copied him, and there was lots of laughter. DM bcame cross as DS1 wouldn't stop and hit clipped him around his head.

The DCs then went upstars and ran around were loud.(Not unuasual, TBH) They then came downstaris, DM told them if they wanted to be silly to do it upstairs, and hauled DS2 upstairs by the back of his shirt.

The DC's then decideed to throw their vast collction of soft toys down stairs, so DM put them all in DS1's bedroom and held the door shut.

DS1 decided he needed a wee, and as DM wouldn't let them out he urinated into a box and emptied it out of the window. DS2 and DD copied him, DD also pooed.

DH arived home first, and DM was bright and breezy, and didn't mention any bad behaviour. I phoned her later in the everning to thank her for looking after them (and to get her side of the story) and she was still bright and breezy about it.

However she spoke to DH today and told him DS1 was "totally out of control"

I'm so I can't quite make sence of it all.

oh my. was this the 1st time Dm had looked after them alone? how old are they? sounds like classic escalation to me.....the kids obviously aren't used to being disciplined in this way / by this person and are testing the boundaries. comprehensively!!

Your mum needs a bit of guidance on how to discipline children by the sounds of things. Also it appears she struggled to cope.

What was your reaction to all this? (to your mum I mean).

How old are your children?

They are 10, 5 and 3.

DM had 4 children of her own, and was a teacher. She has looked after them all before, I'm wondering if at 72 I asked too much of her.

I expected responses along the lines of my DC's behaved terribly. It seems DS1 realised the younger 2 would do what ever he said, and used that to his full advantage.

When I phoned my mum I said "They tell me they've been naughty." I don't feel I can criticise her as she was a brilliant mum - never shouted and only smaked me a couple of times when I'd really, really pushed her.

Sorry but your 10 year old should know better. I'd be apologising big time to my DM.

your children were out of line, and it seems instigated by oldest ds, i would make them apologise, however i dont believe your mother shouldve clipped your ds around the ear and if it isnt how he is disciplined at home then this needs to be made clear to you mother, if she disagrees then i would refrain from having her mind dcs again as clearly there was a clash of attitudes and at 72 i think it would be unfair to ask her to tolerate that kind of behaviour.

Sounds a bit like the dc's were taking the mickey. She's probably very out of practice - just because she brought up 4 kids she's not in the normal routine. I had a newborn once, only 5 years ago, but it would come as shock to be presented with another one....ifyswim. I agree - your 10 you should definitely have known better. I would be having words with all of them...

I am laughing my head off at this - not meaning to be insensitive but this is exactly the kind of stunt my brother and sister and I would have pulled at that age, knowing we could run rings round someone and just not caring!

On a more serious note, I would be having a stern word with your DS1 as he is dragging the others into mayhem by the sounds of things. Poor DM!