Mom to Mom

[Carole22]

I did it for my grandkids. There were days I was so glad to see them leave, but I was always glad to see their faces the next time! I started doing it when the first child was six weeks old and I was 52. I enjoyed the grandkids far more than my own kids because as a grandma, it felt perfectly okay to sit and read stories because it was easy to do. And I normally rocked and sang them to sleep as we both napped in a rocker. They ended up having GREAT vocabularies. My oldest graduates high school in one month...and has a 4.879 GPA. The bond between me and the grands is very, very strong. I never talk or text with them that they don't say, "I love you!" Even the teenage boys! I credit a lot of our closeness on the fact that I was their daycare provider, not just an occasional grandma.

[ROMARY]

Grandparents can end up raising 'geniuses'. The amount of common sense and experience and patience is priceless. Those babies can learn much more in a quiet place. As I said before, the grandparents can teach them bits of a second language, too. All of this adds up to a huge plus in their lives.

[ROMARY]

Even raising babies........just clapping to them and cheerfully saying 'One and one equals two' (clap twice), two and two equals four', (clap four times), etc., etc. They will soon remember, and before you know it, they will recite what you taught them when they were newborn babies.

[Mary Bailey]

My sweet Mom babysat for my sons (now 26 & 28). It was the best thing for my sons and for peace of mind for me & DH.

I paid her. I just asked her: not to tell me anything she saw them do first (I wanted to see everything "first"), just keep them safe and fed. LOL She did so much more. She loved them, kept them safe, entertained them. They still adore her.

If there was anyway I could babysit my grandson I would do it in a heartbeat. (I'm working full time)

You are so lucky!

[Nancy Drew]

It only works if all the personalities mesh. I like to babysit but I have cut down quite a bit because I got tired of DIL scolding me and making ridiculous demands. Yet she still called me for that free babysitting. Now I do my own thing and let her figure things out. I know this opinion isn't popular and I am okay with that.

[Disneylandfan]

My mom watched my son. She filled the 2 hour gap between when I got home and my husband had to leave for work. I appreciated her doing that so that I was able to be at work and know that my child was completely safe.

Sometimes there would be some conflict when we each had a different opinion on how something related to my son should be handled. For example we would follow the doctor's recommendation and my mom would decide he wasn't correct and that her mother, and she herself, had done things differently and I should follow her wisdom.

I doubt there is ever a perfect scenario when children are involved.

[MSA2004]

My Dad has been watching our twins since I returned to work full-time when they were 10 months old. Our oldest child was 3 at the time. We took him out of daycare and everything has been great! My husband and I both work long hours and we feel secure with our children in his care. No late fees either!

[goodstuff]

It totally depends on the individuals and family involved and how things work out as things develop over time. Are you really willing to devote three days each week to caring for your grands? Do you have the energy, patience, and stamina to keep up with rambunctious young ones? Will your grown children take you for granted and expect you to "give extra" when they have to work late or meet other commitments? Will you and your grown children be able to communicate directly and honestly about problems or challenges that arise? Will there be back-up arrangements in place if you want to travel, are sick, have appointments, etc.? How will you feel if your children decide they need to seek another arrangement, put their children in preschool, or for other reasons decrease or end your childcare involvement?

I hope this works out well for you, but there are many contingencies and realities to consider.

[ROMARY]

I can only comment regarding my observations in my neighborhood. The grandparents (and lots of them) strolling their grand babies seem to have such patience. Pointing to 'this and that'. None, so far, seems rushed or distracted. And the children look somewhat content and happy. (Meaning that I haven't seen, so far, any screaming/agitated babies/children yet.)

[Sandlazy]

My parents watched my son, I could not have asked for anything better! My son has an amazing relation ship with both my parents, I love that, He is 28 now and the love they share is wonderful...