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Advice needed on childcare...

3 replies

SMLSML · 26/06/2024 23:09

Long one so bear with me...

We have a 3.5 year old, I normally work 3 days a week, my little one does 2 days at preschool a week and the final day alternating between my mum and mother in law. We've been so lucky to have this set up and are so grateful to both our mums.

We're currently expecting baby 2 any day now and both my husband and I agree his mum probably isn't able to have both children together when I go back to work in 9 months. I love my MIL to bits, however we both think it'll just be too much for her. She regularly falls asleep having our little one on her days if they're watching a film and you can tell she's struggling a lot with the energy required to keep up with a little one which we totally understand. Her health has declined in the last couple of years, along with my in laws getting a dog that wakes them regularly which all contributes to the tiredness.

We've also had a couple of near misses/disagreements in the past over things such as grapes being cut the right way and a toddler fall down the stairs etc. Again, not the end of the world and these things happen but all these things add up. The issue is she won't voluntarily say it's too much (despite knowing herself it will be). How do we approach this? The other issue we'll have is my mum could probably do every Friday but I just know this won't go down well when it's realised, which again I totally understand. For context, my mum is 8 years younger and doesn't have the health conditions. Such a tricky situation to be in...

Just to reiterate, I love my MIL and can't thank her enough, just such a tough one to be in. Part of me just thinks do we suck it up as it's only 2 days a month ultimately but I just know I'd be worried on those days... Any advice gratefully received x

OP posts:
CelesteCunningham · 26/06/2024 23:19

Looking after the two of them will be more than twice as hard as looking after one if you know what I mean - one woman said to me that one is one and two is twenty, and she wasn't far wrong.

I'd book them both in for the three days at nursery if you can and see them on your days off. They might be relieved, or quite likely will be when the time comes!

Swollenandgrouchy · 26/06/2024 23:23

You cannot cannot cannot let your mother in law look after both when she is struggling to look after one. Your children’s safety is more important than her feelings.

Purpletractor · 26/06/2024 23:26

We only have 1 grandparent to rely on, so slightly less tricky. But said grandparent is also delusional about what she can do. For example one day agreed to look after 5 grandchildren under 9. (Our 2 and the other 3). When we discovered she was planning to do this we just said ‘no’ because we weren’t comfortable and if something happened to 1 child she’d have to take 4 others to hospital. We booked emergency childcare for ours and she went and looked after the other 3.
you have a few choices:

  1. let her have both and worry
  2. suggest she just keeps the eldest and you mum gets baby snuggles!
  3. say you think 2 is too much and DH mother has offered to do the extra day.
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