How much help do you get?

[MrsTazlvr]

I am wondering what is common when it comes to how much grandparents THAT LIVE LOCALLY help you with your child(ren).

1. Do your parents/in-laws see your child(ren) on a weekly basis?

2. How often do they babysit and for how long at a time?

3. When do they babysit? Weekends? During the week? Day? Night?

4. Do they work full time? Part time? Retired?

TIA. :)

[lauren f s]

1. Do your parents/in-laws see your child(ren) on a weekly basis?
Each set of parents see Ava about every 2 weeks, sometimes more, sometimes less.

2. How often do they babysit and for how long at a time?
They usually babysit once a month; I'm a SAHM, so I don't usually need help babysitting. They tend to take Ava more for a visit than anything else. My parents will only take her for the day, it will be all day, but no overnight visits. My mother has insomnia and takes a sleeping pill each night, which knocks her out so she wouln't hear Ava on the off chance she were to wake overnight. My dad works long hours and needs his sleep. Neither feel comfortable having her stay overnight, which is fine with us. His mother will take her overnight and keeps asking to take her for the entire weekend (Fri-Sun). We're thinking about letting her do this in the upcoming weeks.

3. When do they babysit? Weekends? During the week? Day? Night?
My parents get Ava during the week, though lately we've both been going to visit on the weekends. Kris's mother will come get her on the weekends, usually Sat. morning and bring her home Sunday after church.

4. Do they work full time? Part time? Retired?
My dad works full time, Kris's mom works full time, and my mom doesn't work.

[deliciousjones]

1. Do your parents/in-laws see your child(ren) on a weekly basis?
Probably not weekly, but every other week. We go there for dinner and they occasionally come here to help with house projects or to babysit.

2. How often do they babysit and for how long at a time?
Once a month, tops, for a whole day.

3. When do they babysit? Weekends? During the week? Day? Night?
During the day.

4. Do they work full time? Part time? Retired?
Both retired and have very active, full lives. I usually need to give at least a week's notice if I need help with childcare, although my mother in law dropped everything last week and babysat seven days in a row when I was hospitalized and then stuck in bed for a week.

[firefly]

. Do your parents/in-laws see your child(ren) on a weekly basis?
My grandparents (raised me) live 1 hour away... my in laws live 5 minutes away. I also have a sil with a child the same age as my oldest daughter that lives 15 minutes away and a bil who just got married who lives 5 minutes away ( Iknow you are asking grandparents but this is kinda relavent as bil/sil do the majority of my childcare for me)
my grandparents see the kids at least 2 times a month sometimes its more but at least 2 times a month. my il well they drive me batty (just my mil I love my fil... most of the time) see the kids about 3 times a month but it's usually in clumps like this time they saw the kids on friday, sunday and monday
I see bil and his wife at least once a week and sil is usually 2 times a week if not more.

2. How often do they babysit and for how long at a time?
my grandparents have babysat out of necessity on their own (meaning it wasn't like a mothers helper thing at the ob or dds) 4 times in 3 years il have babysat 2 times in 4 years sil has babysat about 5 times and bil/sil have babysat 2 times (counting next thursday night ;)
3. When do they babysit? Weekends? During the week? Day? Night?
grandparents have babysat during the day on a weekend and took my oldest over night while we were at an adults only wedding (she was almost 3 y.o)
(we took our youngest who was 3 weeks old or so)
4. Do they work full time? Part time? Retired?
grandparents are retired, mil is a hypocondriac with a bad back and out of work on workmans comp :rolleyes: fil works full time but there's no way in Gods green earth that mil would ever be allowed to babysit without fil and the 2 chances they had they went against EVERY SINGLE THING we asked them to do /not do and the list was only like 4 things long... :eek: so they wont' be asked again unless it's an emergency.

I"m also a ft sahm I don't know if that biases your questions because I am home all the time I find my need for childcare to be slim to none.

[Littlelamb11]

1. Do your parents/in-laws see your child(ren) on a weekly basis?

Pretty much, yes.

MIL& SFIL: weekly wednesday night dinners
FIL & SMIL: every or every other sunday for dinner, usually.
my mom: every week when DD and i take her to chemo and sometimes twice a week if we also have to run errands for her. (my mom no longer drives)

2. How often do they babysit and for how long at a time?

MIL & SFIL and FIL & SMIL babysit about once a month on average each. for just a few hours at a time usually. a few times a year, DD will spend the night if we have a wedding.

My mom has never babysat. she's physically incapable of taking on that kind of responsibility.

3. When do they babysit? Weekends? During the week? Day? Night?

on wednesday nights if DH is out of town and I have rehearsals or a service, or a rare weekend evening if DH and i have someplace to go where we're not bringing her which is not very often.

4. Do they work full time? Part time? Retired?

MIL & FIL are both still working FT unflexibly, FIL and SMIL are still both working FT but flexibly--SMIL is starting to work less but is filling that space with work for the DAR and FIL is a CEO but they are very flexible, especially SMIL who sleeps erradically and tends to do a lot of work in the middle of the night. :p so, if i needed someone in a pinch to watch DD for a couple hours on a weekday, i could most likely use them.

my mom is LONG retired. :)

[DanaLynn]

1. Do your parents/in-laws see your child(ren) on a weekly basis? My parents see my children at least 3 times a week.

2. How often do they babysit and for how long at a time? When I had baby #2, baby #1 stayed with my parents for 7 days. My parents take care of my children when ever I ask. My oldest stays the night with my parents all the time.

3. When do they babysit? Weekends? During the week? Day? Night? Anytime I ask. They are always available.

4. Do they work full time? Part time? Retired? My mom is retired and my dad still works.

[lorbo]

1. Do your parents/in-laws see your child(ren) on a weekly basis?
my parents see my kids at least 2-3 times a week. the in-laws-once a week if they're lucky-i have issues with MIL and FIL-MIL is a big time alcoholic, one beer and she's done, i hate when she calls here drunk to complain about something. both MIL and FIL are incredible chimneys when it comes to smoking-so, that is a big reason why my kids and myself are not over there every week. i think it would be a big drama to get my in-laws to do us a favor and i don't like feeling like i owe them for watching my kids, at least with my parents, we do them favors.

2. How often do they babysit and for how long at a time?
my parents-whenever i need them and for however long i need them.
3. When do they babysit? Weekends? During the week? Day? Night?
again, whenever
4. Do they work full time? Part time? Retired?
my mom should be considered retired-though she's kind of young for that, my dad is retired, but he's working another job.

[usafwife]

Do your parents/in-laws see your child(ren) on a weekly basis? My mom doesn't like to go more than 2 days without seeing DD. Neither does DH's grandma. My mom usually sees DD at least 3 times a week and DH's grandparents see DD at least 2 times a week. We don't get over to SMIL's as often. There are other issues in the past that cause us not to get over there as often. If FIL were still alive then things would be different and we'd be over there a lot more often.

How often do they babysit and for how long at a time? We haven't had anyone babysit DD yet. If they did it wouldn't be for a very long time. Most likely for a couple of hours at most.

When do they babysit? Weekends? During the week? Day? Night? If we needed them to watch DD then they would no matter if it was during the day or night weekday or weekend.

Do they work full time? Part time? Retired? My mom works fulltime. DH's grandma retired last year. DH's grandfather still works. SMIL still works fulltime as well.

[KKay]

Do your parents/in-laws see your child(ren) on a weekly basis? My parents see DD every weekend (we go there every Sunday after dinner). My MIL watches her 2 days/week.


How often do they babysit and for how long at a time? They babysit about once per month.

When do they babysit? Weekends? During the week? Day? Night? MIL babysits during the day (while we are working, she works an afternoon shift at her job). My parents babysit on the weekends (time of day wouldn't be an issue for them).

Do they work full time? Part time? Retired? My parents are retired. DH's parents work FT (but they work afternoons).

[Jenyfer9]

My parents live about 20 minutes away from us. None of this applies to my in-laws, who live about a 6 hour drive away.

1. Do your parents/in-laws see your child(ren) on a weekly basis? Pretty much, yes. Sometimes more than that.

2. How often do they babysit and for how long at a time? It seems to go in spurts. For example, they're babysitting for us this weekend for a good chunk of the day because we have a wedding to go to. However, I can't remember the last time they babysat for BOTH our kids... usually they'll take one or the other while I'm out doing something with the other one.

3. When do they babysit? Weekends? During the week? Day? Night? I rarely depend on them for weekday stuff, but it does happen on occasion. They actually prefer to do nighttime babysitting for our older son, because he does fall asleep at their house, and then they have it easy :p

4. Do they work full time? Part time? Retired? My mom works VERY part time (with a pretty flexible schedule), my dad works full time.

[LeighW]

My mom and step-father live locally.

1. Sometimes once a week. Lately, more like once every other week.

2. Not very often. Maybe once every other month for 4-6 hours. One overnight visit so far, with another one scheduled in a few weeks. (Remember the bookcase post? ;) They are securing them.)

They have dropped everything and helped out when there is a crisis.

3. Mostly weekends. Weeknight evenings when necessary.

4. They both work full-time and have rather demanding jobs with a long commute.

[twinnyme]

1. Do your parents/in-laws see your child(ren) on a weekly basis?
Only my IL's are local and we see them pretty regularly – not on a weekly basis, but I’d say on average every 1.5 weeks, usually on a weekend. They’re about 30 minutes away.

2. How often do they babysit and for how long at a time?
They are pretty willing to babysit, but only if we ask and we don’t ask a lot. On a weeknight it doesn’t make sense, because they’re further north than our house or workplaces (though if we asked and they were free, they’d probably come to us). I work part-time now, so on Mondays and Fridays we don’t have daycare. If I have a meeting one of those days (for some professional organization volunteering I do, or if I have a freelance editing meeting) and they are free, they will babysit. They’ve babysat only once or twice for us to go out for fun.

3. When do they babysit? Weekends? During the week? Day? Night?
See above – so far, they’ve babysat on a couple of weekend nights, and also during the day on a Friday and once on a Thursday (daytime) when I was on maternity leave still and had to go get the carseat installation inspected!

4. Do they work full time? Part time? Retired?
They are both retired. FIL has an interview today for a part-time job (which he’ll probably get) and will probably start working 20 hours a week.

[lady1297]

1. Do your parents/in-laws see your child(ren) on a weekly basis? We try to get over or they try to come over weekly at minimum. But sometimes, only my mom gets to see him weekly.

2. How often do they babysit and for how long at a time? Once or twice a month, usually for a few hours, and usually while DH and I do some project at home, not even for date nights...we haven't had those yet.

3. When do they babysit? Weekends? During the week? Day? Night? Weekdays and weekends, both day or night, depeding on what we are doing with the house (drywall and a one year old don't mix)

4. Do they work full time? Part time? Retired? Mom, part time, Dad, full time.

[njnewyearsbride]

1. Do your parents/in-laws see your child(ren) on a weekly basis?
my parents see my daughter pretty much on a weekly basis

2. How often do they babysit and for how long at a time?
3. When do they babysit? Weekends? During the week? Day? Night?
mom babysits her every tuesday from 7am - 5pm
my parents will also babysit on weekend nights or for a full weekend if we ask. they actually asked us when we're going away for the weekend again so they can babysit.

4. Do they work full time? Part time? Retired?
my parents work full-time

my MIL lives out of state so no babysitting for her :) although she did watch the baby for a week my first week back at work

[mamax2]

1. Do your parents/in-laws see your child(ren) on a weekly basis? My parents see my DD several times a week - every 2-3 days.

2. How often do they babysit and for how long at a time? My Mom babysits every Thursday afternoon for about 4.5 hours. I WOH part-time and this is my '1/2 day' at work. My Mom also babysits when I have Dr/MW appts or in the unlikely event that I do something extravagant like get my nails done :p

3. When do they babysit? Weekends? During the week? Day? Night? During the day mostly. She has kept DD overnight once or twice as well. We're hoping to take her up on a little more babysitting for some date nights (i.e. weekends or overnights) now that summer is over and my parents aren't swamped w/company all the time (we live by the beach) and also now that my sister's kids are back in school (my sister way over-abuses their babysitting generosity :rolleyes: )

4. Do they work full time? Part time? Retired? My Mom works part-time, totally out of her house, but that's why I always bring DD to her and I try to plan to be gone while DD is napping so my Mom has time to make business calls, etc. My Dad's a workaholic, he's always at work.

[happy1nuv]

Nic is 3 1/2 months old... My parents/brother live 15 min away, my sister is 5 min away, IL's live 45 min away, sil/bil are 2 hrs away...

My family sees Nic at LEAST 1ce a week (we all get together for Sunday dinner) plus random stoppings by... Mom works full time, but loves to take lunch at the end of the day to come over and watch nic so i can run out quick. She would drop everything to babysit , no matter when ... she's taking nic overnight sat for a wedding (will be my first stretch away from nic that is longer than 2-3hrs). I wouldn't let my dad babysit... (he wouldn't volunteer, less it was an emergency... he has no patience...but can't wait til Nic is old enough to do stuff with...like, take to Home Depot/grocery store...etc. ) Dad works full time.

My il's see him maybe once a month... it was more often in the beginning, but its kind of tapered off... mil has volunteered to babysit, but i haven't taken her up on it yet. (it doesn't make sense to ask her to come up when mom is closer and willing) (mil doesnt work, fil works full time)

[cgmom313]

1. Do your parents/in-laws see your child(ren) on a weekly basis?
My MIL sees my DD everyday M-F, My FIL probably every couple of days. My Mom sees her about every 3-4mths. She lives in Oh, I live in FL.

2. How often do they babysit and for how long at a time? Right now my MIL watches my DD everyday while I am at work.

3. When do they babysit? Weekends? During the week? Day? Night?
My MIL watches her from 8a-4pm M-F. They have watched her one weekend night so me and DH could go out to an adult b-day party for a friend. In October, they are going to watch her over a weekend while we go out of town. (First time I will leave her overnight)

4. Do they work full time? Part time? Retired? My Mil and FIL and my mom are all retired.

On a side note, I really trust my MIL, not sure I can say the same about my own mom. My own mom and I have had a strained relationship for some time. We are working on it but it is difficult becuase she lives in Ohio.

[MrsTazlvr]

Thanks for the input. I am trying to get a feel for how others "have it". :)

[alienhost]

My parents are 30-40 minutes away and my ILs are 20 minutes away. DD is almost 4.5 months.

1. Do your parents/in-laws see your child(ren) on a weekly basis?

My parents come see DD at our house generally once per week (they also usually bring food which is a bonus!). We either go to ILs or they come by here once a week or within 10 days.

2. How often do they babysit and for how long at a time?

My parents babysit maybe twice a month for either just a few hours or up to 6 hours. I haven't had MIL watch DD yet, right now I'm just more comfortable with my mom watching her (with my dad "supervising" :D - i.e. no diaper changes etc.).

3. When do they babysit? Weekends? During the week? Day? Night?

Either during the week or weekends. Day or evening, no overnights right now. I prefer DD to be watched at our house and MIL doesn't like to drive in the dark.

4. Do they work full time? Part time? Retired?

All of them are retired.

[Sarah]

Right now we live with my ILs. But I'll answer for how it was until May, when we lived about 20 minutes from them.

1. We saw them about every 2 weeks, sometimes every week.

2. I think my MIL babysat twice in my daughter's life. FIL never did.

3. Both times were emergencies, when I needed someone to watch my DD during finals, when both DH and I had a final scheduled, and no friends could do it.

4. FIL works FT, but is self employed and makes his own hours. MIL is a SAHM to her teenager (but homeschools).

It's funny, this makes them sound so uninvolved. But they love DD (and my new DD) tremendously are are incredibly gparents. I just never asked them to babysit, and they don't have a car, so they would have to take the subway to our apt and back. They would have done it in a heartbeat if we needed it, but it was always easier to get a friend to watch her. We only needed a sitter a handful of times. I think we only started using babysitters when she was about one, anyway.

Now that we live with them, MIL probably spends 30-45 minutes a day playing with DD or entertaining her.

[QPDoll]

My parents and my inlaws each live an hour from us (which we consider local).

1. Do your parents/in-laws see your child(ren) on a weekly basis?
No. They only seem them if we drive over for a visit, usually ends up being every two weeks or so.

2. How often do they babysit and for how long at a time?
We have stayed the night at my inlaws house, and they watched them in the evening when we went to see a movie. My mother lives in a very rural area, whereas my inlaws live in a city, so more opportunities for us to do something when we leave the kids with them.

3. When do they babysit? Weekends? During the week? Day? Night?
They have only babysat once, it was at night on a weekend.
My mother does babysit my sisters kids every day during the week when my sister works. She has done this for 15 years for her.

4. Do they work full time? Part time? Retired?
My inlaws both work full time. My mother is retired.