Are You subject to Interrogation when babysitting?

Are you a parent that feels interrogated by your children after babysitting your grandchildren? Possibly you feel insulted.





There have been those that expressed the feeling of becoming the subject of interrogation by their children after babysitting their grandchildren. As a nanny or good baby sitter, they feel as though they have raised their children and their children should trust they know what they are doing with their grandchildren. One parent asked the question, “Is that normal?”

My answered would be, “That may be normal for some, but not for others.” I can see the concern of first time grandparents. In addition, I do not consider it babysitting. For me it is more like “bonding with my grandchildren.” In my household that is normal to ask questions when picking the grandchildren up after I have babysat them. I do not consider it interrogation. I view it as concern. If you have ever worked 2nd or 3rd shift, you generally give an overview of what has occurred to the next shift before leaving. You could view it as giving an overview to the parents before they pick up their children.





I have mentioned before that I have kept my grandchildren overnight several times a week since they have come home from the hospital. My grandchildren included a set of beautiful twins. Some of the questions that my daughter and I will ask each other are as follows:

Diaper Change

We automatically ask each other, “When was the last diaper change?” The reasoning is that it gives us an idea, when to change the next diaper. This is important especially if the baby is sleep during the pickup or drop-off. How many times have you let a baby sleep only to find when they wake that their diaper and everything around them is soaking wet.

Last bottle or feeding

Usually you will learn the feeding times and rhythm of your grandchildren. By knowing the last bottle or feeding, it will give you an idea about when the next bottle should be ready. In addition, if your grandchildren just ate, then they may not be hungry again for quite sometimes.


Bowel Movements

Sometimes after babies come home from the hospital they develop constipation or diarrhea. When you are aware of this, you will be more cautious as to making sure that they are getting enough water. Some doctors even recommend Karo syrup in the water to help with them having normal bowels movements. When children are older and develop constipation, you then will be alert to make sure they are getting enough fruit and vegetables. By just you and your child having this conversation when dropping off or picking up your grandchildren can be helpful to all that are involved.

Journal

There are those that even keep journals. This allows you to see if there are certain patterns in eating, sleeping, etc. I generally would keep a calendar that would give me a visual overview. Possibly this answers some of the questions for those that feel interrogated by their children after babysitting their grandchildren.

More from this author:


How To Blog About Toddlers

Benefits of breastfeeding

How to Help Your Toddler Adjust to Preschool or HeadStart