In laws - Childcare

[chachasliding]

How old were your little ones when your in laws started looking after them?

Well personally, mine are adults, and it hasn't happened yet.

Are you asking about childcare - as in, when you both go to work and the dcs' grandparents have offered to do the childcare?
Or are you asking about an evening's babysitting?
Or something in between ?

If you can tell us a bit more about what you want to know, people will be able to contribute a bit more.

What do you mean by "looking after them?"

About 9 months when I went back to work. They had them one day a week.

I first had my DGC overnight when he was 4 months old. I started looking after him 1 day a week when he was 6 months old.

Mine offered when their first gc was a week old ( there was an event we could have enjoyed) . I was establishing breastfeeding and has suffered a pph . So I declined , which seemed to be held against me.

2nd baby was about 2 months old , I expressed milk , was away for a couple of hours for an appointment.

They have never provided regular childcare.

Around 2m for a few hours whilst we went to the shops. They now provide childcare one day a fortnight, sometimes it’s once a week. They’re amazing, I am so grateful!

My daughter is 3.5
My mil visited for 2 7-10 days visits around 20 months when we had no child care for 3 months. They took her for a day when I had to work my day off at 3y3m.
My mum took her for 1 afternoon when we had no childcare. This was all she could manage with 3 85+yo to be able full time carer for. At 3.5 she's is able to do a few hours of childcare if my daughter is off sick and I have meetings to attend but can only manage a few hours now due to recovering from a fractured back.
1 sister did a day's childcare when I had no childcare and the other sister has done one Saturday afternoon so we could go out for lunch for our anniversary.

Mine are primary school age and my in laws haven't started yet!

They did once when I had an operation, for about 48 hours aged about 2

Um, they did have him for an evening when he was 3. And a night when he was 9. That was it (he's 18 now)

Never.

Mine are 24, 22, 20 and 18 one set has done a lot. The other set not even one babysit, and it’s not because of distance etc…. Its just not for them…..

Never.
Didn't live nearby. Never offered.

8 days old for 2 nights a week (I am the mil)

Never ! Not interested in helping in any way shape or form even when I’ve been struggling.

Mine are 3 and 6 and the Grandparents on either side have never had them overnight without us there too (their choice). They've had the 6 year old for whole days in the school holidays since he was 4 but they've not had both of them.

Neither set if grandparents is local though so it all takes a bit of organizing.