How much help do you get from relatives with your children?

[Eirlys1986]

Hi all, posting more out of interest and to see whether or not me and my partner are feeling unnecessarily hard done by when actually we should be happy with our lot!

We have a 15 month old DS and without going into all the details basically we have only my partner’s parents to rely on to have him should we want to go out together etc.

My “poll” questions are:

1. How many people do you have in your life that are trustworthy to look after your little one?
2. How many days/nights on a typical week do you get help with childcare and is this for work/going out socially etc
3. Do you have times when you can leave your little one overnight with grandparents?
4. When you do leave them, do they have to go to grandparents house or do grandparents come to yours?

Thanks all! Really interested to hear what situations you all have. Knowing age of your children would help too. Xxx

Both my dh and I lost our parents within 5 years of getting married, therefore had no help at all. Never, and I mean never, had any kind of babysitter for any of our 3 children. Not even for one hour.

I am now a grandmother. I live with two of my grandchildren and have two more. I give every spare moment I am needed for childcare help including stepping in in the early hours when one of them is ill. I never step in unless I am asked, and I am never asked unless they are really in need. It works for us.

None