'Rules' when babysitting

We sort of followed the (written) rules when DGD was a baby ... it was a bit daunting as it was 30+ years since we'd done it, and we'd never had to deal with a premature and very small baby at all.
Now we have a gorgeous 2.5 yr old we still follow some of the rules but more often do our own thing when we have her. We do stick to nap and bedtime times and don't fill her up with chocolate too often!!!

I don't remember DD dishing out too many instructions when we had charge of GS, except she was very specific about him sleeping on his back - he mustn't sleep on his side, on his front, etc. So I got a bit paranoid about that, and was up and down like a brides nightie, checking if he was still in the recommended position! Did he stay on his back? Not a chance! He was more often curled up into a ball in the corner of the cot. I didn't mind playing by her rules because, as someone has said upthread, it's all about maintaining confidence.

I like to have a guide to routine and little habits to work within. It makes it easier on the wee one. Of course I use my common sense too, acquired after raising 4 children and a lot of hands on with 6 DGCs.

It is always a good idea to appear to following parent guidelines as that develops their confidence in you. Challenging them is only going to cause trouble. It is worth remembering, they know their children better than you do.

Perhaps the 2 sides of A4 instructions are because this is the first time you have minded the baby.

The monitors used by my DDs monitor breathing patterns and temperature as well as sound. They also play music......ad nauseam! I really HATE Paschebel's Canon now!!

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I generally followed the rules when they were babies apart from using the baby monitor. We live in a bungalow so felt that unless we had suddenly suffered loss of hearing we would hear them well enough. Anyone else dislike baby monitors? They are so sensitive they picked up every snuffle and snort the twins made. We barely slept the first time we used one even though the twins did! Never bothered after that.

I pretty much stuck to what she said anyway, she didn't need the list.
MIL hasn't looked after GS since!

At the bottle feeding age I did sort of follow the plan. D was very relaxed about it though and it was only given verbally.
Now at 4 and 7 I keep to bedtime routines. The GC wouldn't let me do otherwise . D has always said"Do what ever works for you"
As long as baby is returned to it's parents fed, clean and warm. Who's to know

Do our own thing.We don't get given lists of rules, luckily the DC seem to realise that we have managed to raise the three of them without a rule book and trust us to get on with it.You did the right thing to pretend to read the list though.