My parents want to keep our LO for a week this summer. They live in a community about 3 hours away where they would go to pools (no lifeguards) and the beach (also no lifeguards) while she is there. I'm apprehensive. So, I'm curious, has your LO been away for a week at a family member's house without you?
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my 2.5 year old went camping in a national park for 5 days with my parents and siblings. i was a little nervous because service is poor, but DH and i both had to work and needed childcare either way. they all had a great time!
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No, but my mom always mentions it! She lives alone so that makes me nervous even though she's very active. What would happen in an emergency? but we'd also have to get kids across the country so it's not happening anytime soon.
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No, for us that's just too long away!
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I would. My kids spent 3 days with my mom two summers ago at ages 16 months and almost 3. They had a blast, I would definitely send them away for longer now that they are 3 and 4!
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Sounds wonderful! I would totally send my kids if the grandparents offered.
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No, but I would be okay with this, either my parents or inlaws.
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He hasn't yet but I would love if someone offered! I think it would be good for him!
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Yup, my son (also 5) has spent an entire week at my my moms house quite a few times. They mostly stay home but they have also taken him to a few places and I'm totally comfortable with it.
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I would not do this, only because I don't really trust my parents to watch my kids without me around. My in-laws I would trust but I don't think they have the stamina to watch both our kids nonstop for a week.
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Yes! Last summer, DD went to my parents for 3 nights at just 1 year old and now at almost 2 she is going for 4 nights on two separate occasions this summer. One of the weeks will be at the beach and I do have some worry about that but I'm trying to not let it get in the way of the fun I know she will have. I teach a quick but intensive summer class and it just works out best for her to go to them!
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My son spent a week with my in-laws just before he turned 3, and they plan to take him for a week again this summer at almost four. It was hard for me, but he had a great time, and it is important for me to foster a close relationship with grandparents. The week after was quite hard, behavior-wise. They did do some water activities, but I trust my in-laws, they are experienced around water and strong swimmers. They are about 4 hours away and in a rural area, and that aspect makes me a little nervous.
I think it is better to rip the band-aid off and just do it. I also had a hard time the first time missing bedtime and the first night away.
ETA They have only watched my oldest for a week, not both at the same time.
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Yes. My DD stayed with my parents for a week when she was 18 months while DH and I went on vacation. We'll do the same thing again this year (she'll be 2.5 years old). She has a great time, grandparents have a great time and DH and i get a huge break
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No, the longest we have done is 2 nights away. I would be OK with longer but neither set of grandparents is up for a whole week with my 5YO. It would be more likely for my SIL to do it.
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Yes, my mom took my 5 yo on a 5 day trip to SF (we live I. Seattle). They stayed w my brother and his wife. I couldn't go Bc I just had a baby. She has a blast! I trust my mom and my brother wholeheartedly so it was a great experience for all. She did miss us a ton so next time, I would only do 3-4 days
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Yep! The boys are 4, next week will be their 4th time to spend a week away. They started at 1 1/2 and it was way too early as far as I was concern d, but we needed childcare that week and it was the only way to do it. When they were 2 1/2 it was easier for me. I do worry more when they're gone--particularly when it comes to travel or water activities, but I would worry about those things if it was a day trip, too. The boys LOVE having a week with their grandparents, and DH's parents love it, too.
I will say that I highly recommend you and DH go do some fun mini vacation while she's gone if you decide to go for it. I worry & miss them less if we're having our own adventure to distract me rather than just going to work like usual.
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Yes. At my moms with an pool at her home. But they have a baby gate
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Yes. My DDs have spent a week at my inlaws' lake house twice - once at 3 yrs and 15 months, once at 4 yrs and 2 yrs. This involves daily beach access from the house, fishing on the dock, boat rides, splash pad, etc. My in laws have strict rules about walking onto the beach without an adult and onto the dock without also having a life vest on, and the girls listen well to the rules. They'll do it again this year at 5 and 3. In retrospect, 15 months was too young (DD2 wouldn't gone to me when I got home and was calling my MIL "Nanna-Mommy"), but the following year she had a blast. my inlaws have had a lake house since my SIL was around my daughters' age, so I'm comfortable with their water safety knowledge and level vigilance. If I were you, the deciding factor would be your parents' experience/ comfort with kids and water, your DD's tendency to obey your parents (and her behavior around water), and your parents' tendency to follow your rules/requests about things they do with your daughter at other times (i.e. if they always give too many treats/skip naps in spite of instructions to the contrary, then, nope!)
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Not yet but we plan on leaving them for a week with my parents when my youngest is a little older!
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We spent about 4.5 days away from her about a month ago. She stayed w my parents, along w her little brother, while DH and I went away for a wedding. She did okay, and I trust my parents, but I don't think I'd leave her any longer than that. It seemed to affect her. A week or so afterwards she told me how sad she'd been and asked that we not go away that long again.
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i would with my parents, they have watched my dd who is a toddler for a weekend or long weekend here and there and i totally trust them 100%... my in-laws, no way - my MIL doesn't always think things through even though she means well... like i always find knives just laying around the kitchen counter edge when she's cooking even though she has her grandkids playing in the kitchen at the same time.. or she lets my young toddler go down to the basement without adult supervision. gah.
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@mediagirl: not yet - It makes me nervous to even think about it! They have been at home w/o me and DH lots of times for a week period but I feel like its "safe" at home
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Not yet, but I would have loved it if we liked my in-laws more... We are very afraid they would spoil DS to no end if we let him stay with them for a week, and it would be a lot of work to turn the ship around when he comes home. Besides, DS would have to fly there by himself as an unaccompanied minor.
The no-lifeguard situation is worrying, but I would have a very serious, lengthy talk with your LO about water safety before she goes. If she is not the crazy kind who would climb into the gorilla cage, I think you will be fine.
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I would 1000% let my mom have my kids for a week. My mom is fabulous with my kids and they know her well because she's retired and has come to see us for a week or two about 4 times this year. Unfortunately for us, we live in the NYC area and she lives in southern Georgia. So getting them there without a parent would be the issue. My mom is also super energetic and safety conscious.
My inlaws would do fine with my kids, and are also safety conscious.....but they haven't seen my youngest enough for me to comfortably send them for a week. I think she would freak out. My oldest would probably love it though!
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Yes - my oldest usually goes to my parents for at least a few days every summer.
4 yrs old was for 3 days
At 5 & 6 he spent a week.
This summer, at 7, he will be there for another week.Being at their house is definitely different from being at my parents, but both my Mom and Dad are fantastic with my boys and they love visiting their house. They're 3 hours away and we talk daily. I don't have the safety concern of a pool, however my parents usually take DS1 swimming at least 1 day that they're there.
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DS1 spent a week with my sister when he was 2 while DH and I went on our babymoon. His food allergies made it a little tricky, but I made sure to prep all meals in advance.
My kids are now 6 and 3, and I would be comfortable with them spending a week at my in-law's house. I would trust them bringing the kids to the pool and beach with a lifeguard, but I would be hesitant without.
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Not yet. I would let my LOs stay with my ILs for that long, but I would have a serious conversation about water access.
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He hasn't, but I would accept the offer in a heartbeat if it were extended.
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@mediagirl: my dd will be 5 in a few months and has stayed with MIL while we went out of town as a baby but nothing since the development of separation anxiety. If your LO and parents are wanting to do this, I don't see why not! Sounds like a good bonding experience for them. My brother flew with me thousands of miles away for over a month to visit or grandparents when he was five!
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@mediagirl: did you make a decision about this? My ILs have just offered to take our LOs (3 and 6) for 2 weeks this summer! It would require flying them out there and then flying back, but we wouldn't have to worry about water access. I'm completely on the fence right now since it seems like such a long time!
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Yes! LO1 went to my parent's for a week for the first time when she was 3.5. There were challenging moments, but overall it was great for everyone. She's going again this summer at 4.5. She will start going to my husband's parents by herself next summer (she doesn't see them as often so is not as comfortable with them). Everyone is a plane ride away, so it takes some $ and time, but I think it's important for them to have a relationship with the grandparents outside of us.
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My parents took my daughter when she was 3.5 for 3 nights. At age 5 I'd do a week. They are awesome with her and probably more attentive than I am.
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We left DD with my parents for a week at 18 mo and with ILs at 2.5 yo when DS was a newborn. No regrets. We're all about Camp Grandma and Grandpa. I look forward to DS being more self sufficient so he can go too.
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no, but I would let them go with my parents.
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@lamariniere: we are officially doing it. We are pulling our LO out of daycare for the month of August and need a week of Grandparent care so....yeah. I'm worried so I'm implementing rules like "no going in the ocean without an adult standing next to you and you must wear floaties at all times" (even though she never wears floaties anymore around us). . She remembers rules better than her grandparents so, we are going to be drilling them into her for weeks in advance.
Have you made a decision?
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It hasn't happened yet, but I would totally be okay with this if my parents or in-laws offered. My fondest memories are spending a week at a time at my grandparents farm in the summer!
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@mediagirl: That's great that she's a rule-follower, I hope it goes well! We also decided to use grandparent care, for two weeks! It's actually working out really well because we are having some major daycare issues (I'm going to pull E out) and we might have another major change on the horizon soon, so it will give the kids some quality time with their grandparents.
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