Feel used

If you are going to accommodate them, they will continue feeling entitled. They have your number. Make it clear that you need at least 12 hours' notice for cooking, shopping, and baby-sitting.

My daughter has two young children and I made it very clear from the start that I was not prepared to do regular childminding but I would happily do babysitting, and help in emergencies. I am the only grandparent and in my early 70s. My son-in-law and I get on extremely well. I also get to spend quality time with the whole family, and we all benefit. Lucky me.

JuliaM A bit judgemental on the other set of grandparents I think. The whole point is setting boundaries and if you don't and others do, then it is really up to them what they do and what you do is up to you. JMO

I only babysit when I am asked in advance and then only if I don't have something already planned. The exception is if one of them is sent home from school unwell if both parents are working, as long as I'm not working too. The more available you make yourself, the more you'll get taken advantage of and feel resentful as a result. It's letting them know where the boundaries are, much the same as when you were bringing them up, just an extension of that!

Very difficult situation and feeling like you are being held to ransom isn't nice like in my situation. AC not local but I am expected to make all the effort to see them and GC they dont visit me. Large sum of money 'loaned' which I have been told wont be repaid - not the first time but definitely the last. Now because I dont prioritise them over my life they want nothing more to do with me and all forms of contact cut. I work full-time and am not in the best of health either. When I had a young family I happily did all the running to keep both sets of grandparents in our lives but now it seems I'm supposed to do all the running to be involved in AC and GCs lives as they are my children and I should make them a priority .. I'm nearly 60! It's so hard but you cant spend your life pleasing everyone else to your own detriment. Our children will be grandparents one day and maybe they will regret how they treated us but it will be too late then

You are teaching you GC it is okay to treat grandparents with disregard and to show them grandparents lives end when the kids move out. Schedule yourself to be out of pocket the next time you think they will pull this stunt. Then go out and have a pleasant evening.

Oh my goodness, no wonder you feel used. What a nerve to assume you exist just for their convenience. Please make out you have somewhere else to be ( best to prepare a few places to keep in mind ) when you are called upon to babysit without any notice. They assume you have no life of your own but you do. Even if you choose to sit in a cafe all day reading a book, for example, it’s YOUR life and you have every right to do just that.Do this a few times and they will start to realise they will have to be more considerate if they want your help. It’s best to implement this gradually so they won’t think you’re up to something or trying to make a point. Don’t give in, be firm but kind and you will earn their respect.

Unless it's an emergency, they should give you notice.

They should pay money back. You are not a money tree.

I don't think lying is acceptable. Just say sorry no.

Don't brush it aside Loulou31 you deserve to be treated with respect. Our adult children tend to be thoughtless with parents and need to be reminded we do have our own lives.
Talk to them about it and say there are some days you will not be available and tell them your funds are limited now too. Your family will understand and between you reach a good compromise.

Adult Child Am I Being Unreasonable. I think. There is a list of common acronyms on this site. I had same problem when I first joined. Only problem is there are some acronyms not on the list!!!! So it still can take a while to work out

It’s in their interest to give you notice - not to mention good manners- as one day you just may not be able to drop everything. Think i would do a bit of ‘leave it with me as i will need to see if i can juggle a few things in the diary’ - let them sweat a little then say you’ve managed to change things but, if possible, a much notice as they can give you would make it less stressful for all

AIBU?

Is it just me? It takes me ages to try and work out the abbreviations you all seem so keen on using. What is an AC?

When I married my parents made it very clear to me that I was "making my own bed and must lie on it"...and that I was not to expect them to do anything. So I didn't. I got on with my life myself. And if I have ever had children (we didn't, for a variety of reasons) I would not have expected them to babysit etc. at the drop of a hat.
I do think it is reasonable to give reasonable notice of the need to babysit/childmind, unless it is an emergency which could not have been predicted.
And it is equally OK for the OP or anyone else to say "Sorry, I can't help" if they can't, and not to have to give a reason.
So many children seem not to grow up and take responsibility for themselves and for the choices they make in life, and expect their parents to continually bail them out, and it really riles me.
I think it is slightly different in an emergency or if something unexpected occurs. But on a daily basis? No. Children need to grow up and takes responsibility for their own lives and their own decisions.

I have a couple of friends in this situation of being totally taken for granted by their daughters.

One in particular is completely run ragged with childcare.

The daughter and son in law recently bought a large house which they couldn’t afford unless the daughter went back to work full time.

Allegedly they can’t afford to pay for childcare so my friend has been expected to give up her freedom to step in.

Of course she loves the grandchildren but admits that she feels a bit trapped and resentful.

I would never have expected my mother to spend most of her days in retirement looking after my children.

I feel there is a lot of selfishness about these days with this ‘I want it, so I shall have it’ generation.

My daughter in law is a student nurse so sometimes works shifts. Every few weeks we get our diaries out and plot the childcare dates. I have commitments on given days as does her own mother but we somehow manage to juggle things around. If you tell your daughter in law that your new year’s resolution is to be more organised I’m sure she will accept this. If you’ve never told her how difficult the current way of doing things is for you then she probably assumes you’re ok with it. All the best!

When my children had children of their own, I told them from the outset that the deal was we would only agree to having the children if we were happy to do so and would never agree to have them and then complain behind their backs. We have them often and we love it, sometimes singly, sometimes three or four at a time and cats as well!. We have helped with all kinds of care arrangements including having them when they aren't well enough to go to school. But sometimes we say 'No' when we have other things planned or we're just not up to it. So I guess clear boundaries are what you need and that's different for us all.

I suggest you invite your son and daughter -in-law for coffee one day soon and tell them that you love babysitting, but you do have a life of your own.

So you need to reconsider the basis for the babysitting.You cannot go on doing it at the drop of a hat. Offer to babysit when you think they need it most based on the present situation.

Over and above this, you will help out when you can, but need advance notice.

Stop lending them money. Next time they ask, just say, "sorry, I am a bit short right now." If they ask why, either say jokingly that that is none of their business, or reply that you are short as they never give back the money they borrow!

My husband’s theory is that we’ve spoiled our children, and they’re now far too dependent on us.

Too late to do anything about that now I suppose.

I can relate very much to this situation! As others have said it does lead to resentment and ill will.

LouLou, I'd base my decision on whether or not I enjoy doing what they expect me to do, whatever it is. It's not as if they are asking you to do anything immoral or illegal.

There are no rules you make your own rules if you have to. Me, I prefer as few rules as possible.

Yes we d see a lot of our Grandchildren, especially those who live close by, but we have set rules and boundrys from day one! Its ok for them to visit on their way home from School, and we always havea drink.or a snack available for them if they ask for one. However, except in a dire emergency therule for overnight stays is one child at a time only, and by prior arangement. We do not expect any kind of reward for doing so, other than the manners to say please and thankyou.
The other set of Grandparents also live closeby, but tyey area little more selective when asked to help out with any childcare duties, often find an excuse not to have them, and expect a reward of somekind when they do, often in the form of a bottle of their favourite branded Gin, or expensive beuty products and toiletries that a young family can ill afford, hence they end up seeing a lot less of their Grandchidren than we do. Likewise,despite us both being pensioners and living on a small income, its us that often end up sortingout any financial crisis for our daughter, whilst the other set of Grandparents who are younger and both have full time well paid jobs flatly refuse to help out with a single penny.
Yes at times l do feel used, we have cancelled out holidays in the past so that we could help pay for our Grandchildren to still have their break, after their Dad was made redundant from his job, but not a single penny was offered by any of his family, and infact they still expected our daughter to play free taxi to them at the weekends after they had been out drinking with friends. I would do anything to help keep my Grandchildren safe and happy, but yes,at times l do feelvery used too.

That sounds about the right way, Aepgirl.It is ysually a pleasure to be able to share the enjoyment of the little 'uns.

Thanks all for your replies. Probably moaned a bit much as I was annoyed , looking back on my post it sounds worse than it is but definitely feel taken advantage of. Kids not babies, need feeding and dropping here and there, just would like to be given more notice, I know not always possible.