If your mom/MIL or a family member watches your DC...

Did you tell them your routine and what you do with DC all day? Or did you let them do their own thing? She'll be 2 1/2 months when I go back to work.

DD and I have such a great routine and do certain things together every day that she loves (and i'm so going to miss )...I'm going to tell MIL the basic routine, but should I tell her all the little things I do with DD? Like just sitting her up facing me and just "talking" to each other for a while, she loves that! Singing her certain songs. I could make a list of stuff like that that I do with her. Ugh, I could cry right now...

MIL is amazing with her so i'm not worried but what do you think...

Can you tell i'm dreading going back to work on Monday?

Re: If your mom/MIL or a family member watches your DC...

My mom only watches her one day a week, but I still tell her just she knows the "routine" at home

but I'm sure they have their own routine there too

I think its nice you tell her, but not expect that it will be followed just like that


I'm sure once you're in a routine it'll be easier Hang in there!

Re: If your mom/MIL or a family member watches your DC...

I would just share your feeding/napping routine and let her find her own day with Sienna - keep the other stuff for yourself

Re: If your mom/MIL or a family member watches your DC...

i go back on thurs, and i told my mom the general bottle/change/nap schedule, but anything more than that i'm leaving to her. i kind of like that she'll make her own little things and mine will stay mine, kwim?

Re: If your mom/MIL or a family member watches your DC...

Posted by SweetCaroline

I would just share your feeding/napping routine and let her find her own day with Sienna - keep the other stuff for yourself

Re: If your mom/MIL or a family member watches your DC...

My MIL watches DD every Monday. She follows our routine to the letter (naps, feedings), but the have their own "thing" kwim?

I'm home sick today (DD doesn't even know I'm home, I've been in my bedroom sleeping all day). And I have to say, it's like I'm the "fly on the wall" and they have their own nice little routine which I was thrilled to see this morning. As they get to know eachother, they will develop their own routine with one another. It's nice that they will have that bond. I LOVE that DD knows my MIL the way she does, she's the only person right now aside from DH and I that she will go to without hesitation or crying. (we're dealing with separation and stranger anxiety right now)

Re: If your mom/MIL or a family member watches your DC...

I've always shared our routine. Even if they're just watching them for a day or for an overnight.

Re: If your mom/MIL or a family member watches your DC...

I typed out a "How to manual" and made it cute and funny so it wasnt so "instructional" and they could see things I did with her.

Sadie was really difficult until she was 12 weeks old so it was necessary at the time.

Then for sept I just gave her nap and feeding schedule.

Re: If your mom/MIL or a family member watches your DC...

I didn't...only b/c Kaydyn wasn't really on a routine at that point. She was a grazer and didn't eat at set times throughout the day. Plus my MIL watched kids for a living and is very structured so she would figure out what works for her.

Oddly enough we are now on my MIL's schedule. On the weekend Kaydyn knows exactly when to eat/nap/play thanks to my MIL putting her on a schedule pretty early on.

Re: If your mom/MIL or a family member watches your DC...

He had a routine before I went back to work with DS but I never had my family follow it. He adapted perfect and became such a go with the flow kid which I love.

Our family was too on the go for them to put him in for a nap at a certain time, etc.

Re: If your mom/MIL or a family member watches your DC...

My mom and MIL both watch DD during the week and I make sure they knew the feeding and nap schedule and pretty much the rest of the day they do their own thing.

Re: If your mom/MIL or a family member watches your DC...

When my Mom used to watch DD as an infant, sh knew the feeding schedule and nap schedule and followed that for me. Everything else was up to her pretty much.

My Sister watches DD now and DD is 3.5. She still follows the times I tell her as far as nap and meals.

Re: If your mom/MIL or a family member watches your DC...

I let my mom do her own thing. The thing is she is with him more during the day than I am, so its easier if he is on her schedule rather than mine. Once he was older, we both put him on daycare's schedule (hes in daycare 2 days a week). But really, Eddie always determined his schedule for the most part and we just went with it.

That said, I just feel like shes doing me a HUGE favor watching DS for me, for free, so I want her day to be as easy as possible. Sometimes she has things to do, errands to run and its just easier on her if I work around her schedule so as not to throw her days off.

As far as activities....they developed their own "things" that they love to do together. DS has SO much fun with my mom.

Message edited 10/27/2009 10:12:16 AM.

Re: If your mom/MIL or a family member watches your DC...

My MIL watches Landon (when he was an infant I worked f/t, now I work p/t). She is aware of his feeding and nap schedule. The little things, I didn't share. Now she has her own special things to do with him.

Re: If your mom/MIL or a family member watches your DC...

I tried to be loose with a schedule because I went back to work (part time) after 3 weeks and we really didn't have a set schedule yet. But I quickly realized that my MIL was doing whatever she wanted with DS with no regard to how we did things at home. Plus DS was a terrible sleeper/napper. Once I starting working really hard on getting him on a schedule, he became and happier and more rested baby. MIL still tried to do her own thing and would ruine him for the next day or two. i finally had to sit down and explain how important the schule was to his own happiness and if she simply foloowed it, she would see the difference too. She finally caved and did what i asked and she would comment on how much easier and happier he was. I'm pretty sure that with this next baby she will be more likely to just do what I ask. Or atleats I hope so!

Re: If your mom/MIL or a family member watches your DC...

Posted by SweetCaroline

I would just share your feeding/napping routine and let her find her own day with Sienna - keep the other stuff for yourself

Re: If your mom/MIL or a family member watches your DC...

Re: If your mom/MIL or a family member watches your DC...

They know what I do and what time meals are. The only thing I expect them to do the same are nap times and meal times. Activity wise I want them to do what they want to do. I only tell them what I do so they have some ideas.