'Rules' when babysitting

We have looked after both children for considerable amounts of time from when they were very young. I can't recall ever being given any "rules" and if I had got a sheetful of them I think I would have felt a bit put out. We obviously have car seats, cycling helmets, etc.

Never been given a list so not sure how I would react but think it would be with mild irritation . I have managed not to kill my own 4 so hope I would be trusted with GC . Why does your Daughter not trust you to look after the baby ? I would be asking if she was sure she wanted to leave he/she with me . Sorry but it seems a bit cheeky , my house my rules. I was surprised to read that some other GP`s have been given instructions and don`t seem to mind .

I think a few instructions in order to keep a routine going and make life easier for parents when you hand back the little darlings is fair enough. Likewise, if it's your first time dealing with a baby in 30 years you might be a bit rusty about the practicalities. I was surprised just how quickly it all came flooding back after a day or two though. DH was pretty amazing too even though he couldn't do nappy changing due to his rheumatoid arthritis. Our greatest challenge (so far) was when they were 18 months old and both came down with a tummy bug. Without going into graphic detail we got through 50 odd nappies and the washing machine nearly blew up!

I just think there's a difference between "house rules" and rules that parents have for their children. A lot has changed since we had our kids and there are new discoveries all the time. Today, it seems, many doctors recommend against giving juice as early as we used to, and some parents avoid it even with a 3 or 4-year-old. "Granny's house/granny's rules" doesn't really apply here, IMHO. If the parents say "no juice," then it's "no juice" even if "Granny" doesn't agree.

Also, some parents are skittish about anyone driving baby but themselves, car seats or not. One of my DDs was like that for the first year of her first child's life. We respected that and didn't drive baby anywhere whenever we watched her during that first year.

But, IMO, there's another side to this coin. If a GP really can't deal with the any of the parents' rules, they need to let the parents know. Then the parents can decide if they want to relax the rule or make other babysitting arrangements.

A bit of both really. Try to imagine it t'other way round- and your mil an dil totally ignored your wishes with your own children ?!? Bending the rules a bit is fine- but going against what you've been asked to do (if you you think it's daft) is just aksing for trouble imho.

I remember my neighbour smoking near her gcs, saying her parents did the same and it never did her any harm- and taking the kids out to the pub without seatbelts and with baby on her lap- had her daughter found out, she would never have been allowed to look after them again. Their children, their rules-

ooops, mil and fil ...

Wendysue I agree with you , I would certainly let the parents know how I felt about being given instructions and that if they had concerns about me they should perhaps reconsider . Fortunately it hasn`t happened , they all seem to appreciate me looking after there little ones / picking them up from school or having them when they are unwell . I would have loved my Mum to be available to babysit and would have been too grateful to even think about giving her instructions , she worked full time so only babysat on the odd occasion .

Gosh what a caring daughter. She obviously trusts you to look after her baby and has gone to the trouble of giving you guidelines so that you can emulate her care. Both my daughter and daughter in law have provided me with lots of useful information when handing over their babies and I have found it made caring for my grandchildren easier both for me and the baby. I know the usual routine and specific likes and dislikes and the baby, who already has to cope with a change of carer, has no disruption to routine.

There is no universal formula for looking after babies, so for me it makes sense to follow mums guidelines particularly when they are tiny. As they get older there is room for flexibility.