https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 05 May 2026 07:12:47 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-make-the-decision-to-work-or-not#post-2927793 Mon, 19 Dec 2022 11:18:15 +0000 karenbme 2927793@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I want to start off by saying I know I’m in a place of privilege to frame work as a choice. My husband and I are both in highly paid STEM jobs, and we could afford to live on either of our incomes with some belt tightening but no major inconveniences. I have 16 weeks of leave that I am 2 weeks into and already wondering how on earth I would go back to work and send my baby (and my 3 year old, who has been so much fun to spend time with) to daycare.</p> <p>On the other hand, though, I don’t want to completely drop out of the workforce. I work in a rapidly changing, male dominated field, and worry about how a gap in my resume would be perceived. Also the job I have now is exactly the job I’ve wanted for a long time. I work with great, smart people in a mission-driven organization, and there are few jobs I see as being a better fit for me.</p> <p>Right now my plan is to pitch a part-time transition back through spring and summer (our busy time is fall) to my boss when I get closer to my return date. She has been extremely flexible, but I know being even half a person down is going to be hard for the team. </p> <p>I’m wondering how others have made decisions about work-family balance with tiny babies. My first was born just before Covid and stayed home until she was 1, so I have no experience sending a tiny baby to daycare. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-would-you-answer-this-coronavirus-related#post-2912033 Mon, 16 Mar 2020 08:19:50 +0000 josina 2912033@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Backstory - Stepdaughter (17) lives with us full-time. Her mom just moved back from Florida last fall, and she has another daughter, 9 that lives with her.</p> <p>Our schools just closed for 4 weeks as of 8:00 last night.<br /> At 11 I got a text from my step-daughter's mom wanting to bring her daughter to our house so SD can babysit her.</p> <p>How would you answer that? </p> <p>Her mom also works in a factory so her exposure compared to ours (DH-1 person, mine-5 usually) is huge. She would be dropping her off at 5:30 in the morning, before any of us usually get up. Not sure on pick-up time.<br /> ETA: our kids are 5 and 3. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/child-care-with-a-disabled-parent#post-2897397 Fri, 20 Sep 2019 11:47:25 +0000 macintosh 2897397@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My DH is physically and cognitively disabled as you may know. He has a traumatic brain injury, so even though his intelligence is in tact, he has executive functioning issues such as problem solving, planning, etc. He also uses a motorized wheelchair.</p> <p>Up until now it was pretty easy to decide when it was ok for DS (4) to stay with him alone. When he was a baby and a young toddler, it was only when DS was asleep. I could run down to the drugstore after he was down for the night, etc. As DS got older (around 3) I could occasionally still do the same type of thing when he was awake because he would play independently quite well and not be upset by my leaving.</p> <p>Well, earlier this year when we were living in a 5th floor apartment, DS got himself out onto the balcony for while under DH's watch. I had gone downstairs to the parking lot to clean the car and he was looking for me. DH yelled but couldn't prevent him from going out there (he actually broke the screen quite easily). Thankfully nothing happened, but I haven't left him alone with DH again since.</p> <p>Now that DS is 4 he's settled down a bit and he understands safety much better, but since we live with my mom now it's been easier to avoid leaving the 2 of them alone for more than the time it takes to shower or check the mail. DH also let a census worker in the house while I was in the bathroom a couple months ago which doesn't show the best judgement. </p> <p>It would really help our family next year if DS could come home on the bus from kindergarten and stay with DH for a couple hours until I get home form work. I'd like start preparing both of them for this if possible, but of course if I'm not home I won't be able to monitor the safety of the situation.</p> <p>I'm thinking I could eventually invest in some technology to monitor the doors and maybe even an indoor camera. I also want to be able to leave the house for a 30 minute run around the neighborhood. Does anyone have suggestions for me on how to do this safely for both of them? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/really-nice-gift-for-mil#post-2809666 Tue, 13 Mar 2018 19:18:52 +0000 starchild 2809666@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I went back to work last week after 12 weeks. To ease the transition MIL came to stay with us this month. She's watching LO so we don't have to start daycare till she's 16 weeks and hopefully by the beginning of April we'll be out of the worst of flu season, too! We have a small house and she's sleeping on a blow up mattress in the living room. My LO has GERD and MSPI at least, and we're struggling to get her stabilized. She will scream for hours till she goes hoarse some days. It's not easy being alone with her all day, though thankfully she has been improving some since we upped her meds last week. Not to mention that MIL keeps herself busy by cleaning and doing laundry and cooking. MIL obviously loves spending the day with "her princess" but it's still a lot of work. And this is the longest my husband's parents have been apart in their 43 years of marriage since they live out of state and Poppa is back home working. We are so grateful and would like to do something or get her something special. Maybe something with the baby's birthstone? Or a canvas of the baby? Or both? Or something not baby related? We're open to suggestions! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/family-member-as-a-baby-sitter#post-2768313 Thu, 17 Aug 2017 11:41:44 +0000 meadow 2768313@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My SIL is going to watch our twins in September (they will be about 15 months) while DH and I attend a daytime wedding. SIL would arrive about 10:30 so we could get to the 11am ceremony. They will put the kids down for a nap around noon. This will be her first time watching the kids without us there. (I assume she is bringing her husband with her of course.)</p> <p>I wouldn't pay her like a teenage babysitter but want to do something.....</p> <p>I figure that I can get subs or something to leave in the fridge for them to have for lunch. What else is appropriate? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/grandparents-watching-2#post-2721147 Thu, 06 Apr 2017 20:19:37 +0000 travellingbee 2721147@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Both our parents are in their late 60s. Mine used to watch DS1 here and there for special occasions and sometimes date nights. They live 40 minutes away so it isn't super convenient for short amounts of time. But since we've had DS2 (he's 15 months), they haven't really watched both boys. I get the feeling that my parents are overwhelmed by having both of them. I miss having those occasional nights out without spend $$$ on a babysitter. If you have more than 1 LO do your parents watch them both?<br /> ETA: I guess I'm not being fair/accurate. They have watched them a few times, during the day or for a couple of hours at night, at our house. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/grandparents-keep-buying-everything-am-i-overreacting#post-2704174 Wed, 01 Mar 2017 00:32:37 +0000 DesertDreams88 2704174@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are so blessed to have LO's grandparents babysitting him in our house during the day. They play with him, feed him, take care of vacuuming / dishes / kid &amp; cloth diaper laundry, take him on outings almost daily, etc. They are always willing to do some extra time if need be. We pay them a small amount (about half the cost of an in-home daycare), given our financial situation and their family dynamic. </p> <p>That being said, I am getting really bothered by how much they buy for LO. About 50% of his "stuff" was bought by them, almost all unnecessary. They buy toys, books, clothes, supplies (bibs, spoons, sippies), etc. They never check with us or ask us what he needs. At *least* monthly we tell them directly to not buy any more toys. They've gotten better about the toys but for example, this is what they've bought in just the past 2 weeks:<br /> - Magnets<br /> - Socks<br /> - A big musical book<br /> - A set of toy animals (for "school")<br /> - A set of letter magnets (for "school")<br /> - A toothbrush (he has 3 now)<br /> - Cheap plastic plates &amp; bowls</p> <p>..... I know they are just trying to be generous and caring and loving. But honestly I feel a little subverted as the parent. Shouldn't I get to pick out my child's plates and toothbrushes? Shouldn't I get a say in the sheer amount of *stuff* my house has? If they notice a need, is it too much to ask them to run it by us? Is it too much to ask them to confine gift giving to traditional occasions? Sometimes I feel like a visitor in my own house or the backup parent. I look around my house and it's not my stuff, it's theirs... for LO.</p> <p>In terms of finances, I don't really know how to compare our situations. We are two teachers in a very low-paying state. They are a semi-retired couple who is trying to sell an older home that's depreciated &amp; move into a resort retirement complex. </p> <p>I know this might seem really dumb and maybe I should just shut up this part of my brain and be thankful. If you were in my shoes, how would you feel and act and think? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/does-your-family-know-cpr#post-2683020 Thu, 19 Jan 2017 12:16:14 +0000 Boogs 2683020@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For anyone is your family that cares for your child in anyway, even if it's just a couple of hours of babysitting, do they know any life saving techniques like CPR or the Heimlich? </p> <p>I think my MIL is the only one, other than us which is part why I don't ask others to babysit often, you just never know! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-not-have-family-help-out-with-childcare#post-2618962 Fri, 09 Sep 2016 17:35:43 +0000 mrbee 2618962@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We totally would have, but our parents lived so far away that we never had the chance! We moved to be near my mom, but she's pretty busy and we have a nanny here... so the opportunity hasn't come up yet. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/babysitter-and-sids-safety-help#post-2618917 Fri, 09 Sep 2016 15:59:37 +0000 MrsLilybugg 2618917@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Help<br /> So my mother in law is kind enough to watch my baby two days a week. I reiterated to her over and over that the baby should only sleep in the swing buckled, or in her arms. NEVER on the couch. (We have a friend whose baby died after rolling over on the couch after being swaddled and lain on side by the grandmother. She knows this incident too!!!!)</p> <p>Ok. So while our three-year old was downstairs being watched by a friend of ours, my mother in law went upstairs to nap the baby , who is 5.5 months old. She only sleeps in rock and play, in snugabunny swing, or in someone's arms (while we are awake). I'm hyper vigilant with this.<br /> I never<br /> Fall asleep next to her for fear of rolling over her or not catching HER roll over. She is used to incline sleeping too so never had rolled over on a bed asleep.<br /> So she said she put the baby on the bed intending to watch her and didn't want to pick her up and wake her. And before she knew it, she fell asleep too.</p> <p>Cue internal alarms. </p> <p>I am on the Phone at work, and didn't know how to react, and also first day back so had to get off the phone quickly. </p> <p>But I know this is not ok. I just don't know how to handle it? I printed out a SIDS brochure : </p> <p>Option 1:<br /> do I discuss it tonight and give tonight? I don't want to be too naggy and sour her, especially after she's doing us a favor.<br /> Or<br /> Option two:<br /> Give it to her and discuss NEXT time she wAtches the baby? That way it's also fresh in her mind ? And am totally printing these guidelines and taping them upstairs too! </p> <p>Ugh I can't function now 😱😱 (eta: post partum anxiety ) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/grandparents-and-unhealthy-food#post-2616602 Tue, 06 Sep 2016 12:37:44 +0000 catlady 2616602@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>How do you deal with grandparents who seem to only want to feed your LOs unhealthy foods? My almost 3 year old is actually a very reasonable eater for a preschooler but as she has been spending more time with her grandparents (due to them helping out more in preparation for LO2's arrival), she is getting pickier. I want to nip it in the bud but it's complicated by the facts that 1. they love "spoiling" her and 2. they are actually all pickier eaters than she is anyway. In fact, I'm pretty sure FIL has an actual eating disorder (in 10 years, I have never seen him eat anything except hamburgers or french toast, and he even admits he will only drink root beer). So I'm not really sure how to approach this.</p> <p>We were basically just "letting it go" for a long time but DH got mad when we found out that my dad bought LO a happy meal at McD's last weekend, so I feel like I need to at least have a talk with him. I have tried talking to him in the past though (about the fact that he buys her a giant chocolate chip cookie literally every time he sees her) and he just ignores me and tells me it's his job to spoil her. </p> <p>Anyone else have family members that do this? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/grandma-care-what-would-you-pay#post-2594838 Thu, 28 Jul 2016 19:00:42 +0000 jill_a55 2594838@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am going back to work soon and am trying to figure out childcare for my boys (28 mos &amp; 4 mos.) before lo2, my mom used to watch lo1 part time for free 🙌🏻 but I have changed jobs and other situations have changed and we now require full time care for them. </p> <p>I'm just curious to see what you would expect to pay for full time, in home child care of an infant and toddler. Would it be comparable to centers? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/occasional-live-in-grandma-care-will-be-no-more#post-2592017 Mon, 25 Jul 2016 11:56:59 +0000 BSB 2592017@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think the perks of my MIL living with us for 2-4 weeks at a time for grandma care has come to an end. For my sanity and our marriage, I will pay to put the kids in daycare (maybe a nanny if I find one that we love.) They are almost 11 months so it's a good time for them to start socializing. </p> <p>Sadly, it was MIL and step FIL's politics that I couldn't stand any further. There's been things that have been said on social media on my wall (then deleted) and then little mutterings while the news was on. I tried to ignore it and leave the room when the news was on. </p> <p>I, also, think MIL living in our house for that long made me not exactly comfortable in my house. We never really had our privacy. </p> <p>I will totally admit that it was great for the first 4 months. She loves the babies and it was so great having her. I really appreciated what she did for us, but this introvert needed some private space! </p> <p>I think the only way I could have her be grandma care again is if she went 'home' at night or if we found a place with an in law suite. (She lives out of state.) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-have-a-hard-time-with-their-mother#post-2567045 Tue, 14 Jun 2016 13:51:20 +0000 Mrs. Athome 2567045@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Does anyone have a difficult relationship with their mother? </p> <p>My mom lives far away and adores my baby (only a few months old), but is really opinionated and often refuses to follow my requests when caring for my son because she disagrees. I can really use the help when she visits, but she always throws off his schedule, and thus his sleep at night and that is so hard!</p> <p>It is usually simple things, and I try hard just to let them go. But it is really so frustrating and I feel like I can't trust her because she won't do what I ask. Like when I tell her he needs to nap after a certain amount of time awake. </p> <p>She thinks it is too soon and keeps him awake until he is screaming and falling apart, and then she announces that he is just throwing a temper tantrum and tells others that my baby has a temper!</p> <p>She will speak in this passive aggressive voice as if she is talking for the baby in front of me and say things like "I'm just not tired see?!" and "I'm hungry, Mom, that's why I'm so fussy." (I know he isn't hungry).</p> <p>The trickiest part is that if I try to show her what he likes, how he calms down, how we swaddle him, how we do anything with him, she sees it as patronizing and controlling. Her idea of calming him down is talking louder and playing louder and it just works him up into a frenzy. Then when I calm him down, she says it was all because my baby just wants his mom. Which might be true, but I have seen him stay calm with all other caregivers and friends.</p> <p>This was such a rambling post. I feel so stuck. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-to-pay-a-grandparent-for-childcare#post-2564279 Thu, 09 Jun 2016 09:57:32 +0000 stiletto_mom 2564279@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm not sure how often baby will be with my mother, but what is a good "base rate" to offer her? Baby will be almost 1 year when I go back to work.</p> <p>My mom lives with us and we carry the mortgage. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-have-grandparent-care#post-2564174 Thu, 09 Jun 2016 07:09:21 +0000 regberadaisy 2564174@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If your LO has grandparents caring for them. Whose parents are they? Mom or dads? Just curious. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/picking-your-battles-with-grandma-care#post-2357271 Thu, 19 Nov 2015 08:00:00 +0000 autumnlove 2357271@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Do you have to pick your battles with Grandma (or any other family) care? What kind of stuff is non negotiable for you...maybe schedules, snacks, screentime, etc?</p> <p>I was a mess as a FTM so I don't think Grandmacare would have worked with LO 1. I'm sure I will be calmer with LO 3 but I still expect some minor battles with MIL. :-p </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sleepoverbabysitting-debacle-with-family#post-2530121 Wed, 20 Apr 2016 19:21:35 +0000 JennyD 2530121@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>my mom, who lives with my sister and her family, asked if my LO (4) could stay over a few nights this week. My sister had two LOs of her own, the oldest is the same age as mine and they're good friends. Everyone was in agreement. The plan was to drop my LO off today after work. </p> <p>Today my sister texted me to say that both she and my mom are working tonight and so her husband would be taking care of the girls. I'm not a big fan of him. So I called to tell my sister that I'll bring my girl over tomorrow morning. She asked if I didn't trust her husband. I said, very honestly that I was sure he wouldn't let anything happen but I don't care for how he is with the girls. Which she wasn't impressed about, understandably. </p> <p>He's mean. He sneaks up behind my girl and scares her. He walks past her and just shoves her. It's more than just teasing. It's hard to put my finger on but it doesn't sit well with me. But it's not so terrible that I don't let her stay over there when he's around. My mom keeps him at bay when she's there. I'm just not sure I trust him. </p> <p>Further, if I told my sister that I would take her girls, I wouldn't then leave them with my husband. </p> <p>Am I overreacting? Anyone else have to have this conversation with family? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/grandma-daycare-1#post-2529820 Wed, 20 Apr 2016 13:21:09 +0000 Alba4 2529820@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Currently we have our 2.5 year old in traditional daycare 2x a week and then each grandma watches him 1 day a week (my husband watches him the other day).</p> <p>I'm due with #2 in June and will be heading back to work in September. For those of you that have grandparents that watch your kid/s, how did they handle a new baby added to the mix? Both grandmas are in their mid-sixties. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/helping-with-my-sisters-baby#post-2520932 Sun, 10 Apr 2016 20:25:26 +0000 ChiCalGoBee 2520932@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just found out my sister is expecting her first. She made a comment about wanting/expecting me to come out and help when she has the baby, as I did with our brother when he had his first. The issues are that:</p> <p>1) I didn't have my own child when my brother had his, so leaving at the drop of a hat was a lot easier than it is now<br /> 2) She lives on the other side of the country<br /> 3) We have a planned visit to see her a month after her due date anyway (Thanksgiving)<br /> 4) She did not come to help me when my baby was born but came out 7 weeks later to visit my parents and me.</p> <p>Leaving my toddler son is hard to do, but I feel bad saying no to her. Would you go anyway out of obligation, or put your own child/family/needs first? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/in-laws-babysitting-for-the-first-time#post-2489514 Thu, 10 Mar 2016 07:10:31 +0000 Lapin 2489514@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We needed childcare for a few hours last minute, so I asked my in-laws if they could look after my 3month old. (DH's brother + SIL also live with them) I trust them all just fine but I've always found SIL bit obsessive with the LO, always needs to be the first to hold her (even taking her from her own grandparents!) or often jokes about how she would keep her and not give her back. Anyway, I figure she loves LO a lot - just her way of showing it. Everything was fine as we left, but not even an hour has gone by and she sends us photos of LO in different little outfits, dresses, her own daughter used to wear. In one of the photos, LO looks visibly upset, crying or fussing. It made me worry after that, especially since this was our first time dropping our baby off! DH said he might tell her not to do that for next time, but I don't want to start trouble. Am I overreacting? She used to dress her own daughter up for fun all the time, take photos, etc. She clearly misses having a LO, but mine is not her doll to play with. Also we wanted LO to have quality time with her grandparents, is there a way to verbalize that without having BIL + SIL take her most of the time? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-do-your-parents-or-in-laws-help-with-childcare#post-2482057 Wed, 02 Mar 2016 19:08:04 +0000 Paddington10 2482057@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My parents watch my five-year-old twice/week, but they're not getting any younger and I'm not sure how to work things when I have an infant (in October!). A self-sufficient kid is one thing, a baby is another. They were fine five years ago when my son was little, but I'm not sure if they'd be up for it now. How often do your parents help, and is it helpful help or stressful help?! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/grandmacare-los-amp-driving#post-2418567 Tue, 12 Jan 2016 12:45:41 +0000 mrsjyw 2418567@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Do your parents/inlaws take the kids out while they're watching your LOs? Maybe to the library, classes, etc.?</p> <p>My mom has been our primary care since I went back to work after DS1. It took a while for her (and I) to feel comfortable in the beginning, but now three years and another baby later; she readily takes them out (if weather permits). She also sometimes takes DS1 to preschool. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/does-having-local-grandparents-mean-grandparent-carefrequent-babysitters-for-you#post-2405567 Thu, 31 Dec 2015 09:54:22 +0000 autumnlove 2405567@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It does not for us. My FIL doesn't really have much interest in the girls...hopefully things will improve when my LOS are older?</p> <p>My MIL lives close by and she babysits occasionally but nothing regular! She did offer to watch LO 3 PT but I ended up resigning instead.</p> <p>My brother and his fiancée just purchased a home very close to my parents. They are undecided about having kids but my SIL says she will not pay a cent for childcare if they ever have a child since she assumes my mom will be the nanny. Ha, I can't wait to see how that pans out! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/in-law-vent-1#post-2400562 Sat, 26 Dec 2015 18:04:12 +0000 lilyofthewest 2400562@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I should be really grateful that my in-laws watched the baby for 3h so Sweetie and I could go see Star Wars. </p> <p>But...now I'm dreading being up all night because they didn't feed him at all until we called to say we would be home in 15-20 minutes. We left (written!) instructions to give him the 4oz bottle I'd thawed 1-to-1.5 hours after we left. </p> <p>Because he'd been hungry for at least an hour before they fed him, he gobbled it in a matter of moments and fell asleep more than an hour earlier than usual. There's a small chance that he'll just treat it as an early bedtime, but more likely it is a nap and then he'll be up for another 4 hours before being willing to go to bed for the night. The silver lining to that is that they put him to bed in a regular daytime insert cloth diaper that he'd already been in for almost 2hours. </p> <p>The topping on the $h1t cake is that my MIL defrosted another TWELVE OUNCES of milk. I'm home with the baby all day tomorrow. So, now I have to decide if I'm going to give him bottles while I pump or just throw it out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/considering-flying-out-grandma-for-childcare#post-2393192 Fri, 18 Dec 2015 02:39:17 +0000 BSB 2393192@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My MIL has come out twice and she has been a lot of help. ️DH can handle the babies alone but it's nice when she is here. She now lives in FL with her husband. He's is a retired veteran that travels for his job. He works for 3 week stretches then comes home to FL for a week.</p> <p>My MIL actually brought this up a few days ago. She can't afford to fly out herself but we could pay for her flight to come out here to spend time with the babies. After 2-3 weeks, she would fly back to FL for a week and if she is up for it, ️return back to Seattle. I'm already thinking that she can pay for the flight using FF credit card and we'll pay for her that flight. So she'll be accumulating FF miles at the same time. </p> <p>I'm so glad she brought this up. It actually was looking for some part time help for DH. Like a nanny or an au pair. I guess we figure grandma care is better than finding a nanny. </p> <p>Win win I think! </p> <p>I'm sure my situation is very unique. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-kind-of-gear-do-you-keep-at-grandmas-or-any-other-family-daycare-provider-house#post-2357257 Thu, 19 Nov 2015 08:15:00 +0000 autumnlove 2357257@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I plan on sending our Pack n Play, bouncer and a bottle warmer to MIL's house. We already keep a Fisher Price booster over there. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-often-do-you-call-on-grandma-and-grandpa-for-help#post-2354066 Thu, 12 Nov 2015 13:00:46 +0000 mediagirl 2354066@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't call on them often but I did ask my mom recently if she could reschedule her bridge game (exciting lives of retired people) so we could go to my company's holiday party. </p> <p>When they're in town for a regular weekend visit, we will go out and they will babysit. So, very infrequently for us. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leaving-kid-with-grandparents-for-the-first-time#post-2261104 Tue, 11 Aug 2015 15:11:46 +0000 Mrs. Carrot 2261104@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm likely overthinking this but since that's what I do best :)...</p> <p>LO is 27 months and over Labor Day, we're leaving her with my mom and dad for 2 days and 2 nights while hubby and I are going out of town. My mom is awesome with LO, so I have no worries there, but a few things are starting to stress me out, mostly around the fact that LO is a very easily stimulated/overstimulated kid, and we're throwing a bunch of things at her at once. </p> <p>1) She's staying at their house for the first time without a parent. She's been there before, but we only go there every 6-ish months so it might as well be new to her. And she's staying with my in-laws in the night before we drop her off at my parents (though my husband will be there with her for that night) so lots of environment shifts. </p> <p>2) It's her first time away from us for that long. We did one short overnight a few weeks ago, but my mom was at our house for that so not a lot of new stuff, really. </p> <p>3) My mom has a pretty big agenda of activities planned for them (meeting family, outings, etc). </p> <p>4) My dad is very fond of his evening news and generally having the TV on whenever he's at home. We never turn the TV on, except one of her Elmo or Barney videos here and there, and I never cared in the past when we visited, but recently, LO has been especially sensitive to stimulation so it's concerning me more than usual. </p> <p>So all that combined makes me worry that LO is going to get exceptionally overstimulated, which for her means a really hard time sleeping and even meltdowns. I definitely plan to mention to my mom that she's been extra wired lately for a variety of reasons, but any other tips to make this smoother? I'm probably worrying over nothing, but I probably wouldn't be a FTM if I didn't :) We plan to bring all her loveys and familiar objects and stuff like that but I'd love any tips beyond that. My mom doesn't really believe that overstimulation is a thing, so it's a bit of an uphill climb to make the case. </p>