We have all been in a situation where we have been stuck for a babysitter and you may have a wedding or an important family function on you must attend and you need people you can rely on to care for your kids.
We have all been in a situation where we have been stuck for a babysitter and you may have a wedding or an important family function on you must attend and you need people you can rely on to care for your kids. The great thing about your parents or your partner's parents is they are usually delighted to have their grandkids over, but the question remains are they able to care for them properly and is it safe? Dependent on your kiddies age they may need a huge amount of care and then minding someone else’s children is never easy. The kids may not settle easily and for older kids. it may be easy enough to care for them but younger ones or especially babies will require lots of attention.
We don’t like to consider the fact that our parents or parents-in-law may not be capable of caring for the kids, but the reality is dependent on their health or age, they may not be. Again, every situation is different, but it is best to arrange care for your children that is safe and secure. Though older family members have the kids’ best interests at heart if they are struggling with health issues they may not be in the best position to offer care. Spending time with family is always advised as it is good for children to get to know their family but when it comes to nights away or weekends away it may be better if you arranged care for your kids with their aunties or uncles.
There are other things to consider too - are your parents or parents in law living near you and do they look after the kids regularly? If they mind your kids often, you will know if they are able for such a commitment. It may be the case that the kids manage a few hours there and all is good but if your kids come home complaining of being bored you may need to consider your options. Bored kids will usually get into some sort of trouble as they look for things to do!
If you are going to leave your kids with older relatives have a plan in place:
- Arrange for other family members to check in with them and if there is an issue let them take the kids instead. It is like having a backup plan.
- Make sure they know the kids routine and write a list with all the details on it for their reference. This is especially important for younger kids.
- Leave details of your kids’ rituals at bedtime or if they need to take any medications etc. Teach your kids how to make phone calls or emergency calls in case of accidents.
- Ask for their honesty and tell them to contact you if they can’t cope with the kids. Worst case scenario you will have to come home early.
Every family is different and making sure your children are well-cared for is vitally important. It is also about safety and not only for your children but for your family members so if in any doubt find someone else to care for your kids rather than fret about it during your time away.
Written by Emma Hayes staff writer at FFHQ who also blogs at www.emmamadjotters.com.
