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Please help! would you drive an hour to mind your grandchildren?

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gracesmum Fri 12-Oct-12 17:51:27

Could you stay over so that you can be there for an early start without the hassle of the traffic? When my DD first went back to work I used to drive 75 miles to pick him up from nursery by 4 so that she could stay late at the office. I would do play/bath/bedtime and the next morning she could leave at 7.30 while I was doing breakfast and then I would take him to nursery about 9/9.30 and drive home. It worked very well. but it was only once a week. and I only looked after him for the whole day when he was unwell with chickenpox and couldn't go to nursery.
Does she have a back-up if for any reason you can't do this? I agree that it has to be your decision if you want to do this. I enjoyed getting to know DGS better by having time with him and only stopped when she started maternity leave when she was expecting her second baby.
As to whether it is a natural thing to want to do, well all things being equal, I think it is for most mothers/grannies, but reasons such as distance, ill health other family commitments or age may make it impossible.

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JessM Fri 12-Oct-12 17:46:25

could you stay over one night a week to cut down on driving - and the cost of fuel? A friend of mine used to rail to London and stay overnight to look after GD 2 days a week.
I know one person who drove her baby about 40 miles to her mum's house and then back again the same distance for work at 8am, and left baby with nan overnight. So that is another way some people manage it

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absentgrana Fri 12-Oct-12 17:39:16

If you want to do it and it feels natural to you, why not try it out? If it doesn't work, just explain that it doesn't and why – heavy traffic, too exhausting at your age or whatever.

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Speldnan Fri 12-Oct-12 17:29:38

I am in a bit of a quandry at the moment as I rashly said I would look after my grandson two days per week when my daughter goes back to work in January. He will be 1 then but has been a bit molly coddled because he was premature and my daughter doesn't want to leave him with anyone other than family.
Anyway I live about 30 miles from my daughter and go up there at least once a week at the moment with a journey of 50 minutes. However, for work, she will need me to get to her house before 8 so she can get the train to work. This will mean leaving the house before 7 to allow for traffic.
Both my partner and my parents think that I shouldn't be doing this and that my daughter should put her son into day care. I want to look after him but am worried about the early start on winter days and also whether I will be able to cope with a toddler for two days a week. If I start doing it and find I can't cope, how will I tell my daughter and her partner that I am going to let them down?
My question to other Gransnetters is this: do any of you do a similar thing to this? if not what do you think of this arrangement? am I crazy to take it on or is it a natural thing to want to do? they intend to pay my expenses plus a bit more.

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