Grandparent Daycare

In this day an age more and more parents are having to continue work once having children. In my day you gave up work to care for your children in most cases. These days it seems parents can't have that luxury as the cost of living has gone up so much . I married at 20 and had my first child at 23, I did not have a career before and I never considered leaving my son to work. I rarely asked for babysitting as my mother moved a fair way away and my mother in law worked. Plus she used to tell us that she had to take her children everywhere with her so we should also.
When my youngest was about two I was offered a good job in London. The money was excellent and it had good promotion chances as well. Then I hit the childcare wall! I could not (and it was not on offer) use a private nursery and my mother in law , told me she had her children and did not want to start again. At the time I have to be honest and say I thought she was rather mean lol.

I looked into child minders but was worried about leaving my child with someone in their house. I do not think childminders in those days had to be controlled and good as they are now. So I had to let the job go. I did not look for work again and choose to stay home and bring up my children.
Now I am a grandmother I do see it from the other side and I totally understand what my mother in law meant .

Tell me who has not been out and seen an older person with a young child! You see it all the time and it seem to be epic proportions. I can understand why when a full day at a nursery in our area is £35 its no wonder grandparent daycare is so popular.  My daughter has spent four years training to be a nurse its a very difficult and hard course but she is nearly at the end. She also has a 2 yr old and trying to arrange childcare she can afford is hard.

I am sure all grandparents love their grandchildren with all their heart but I bet if you asked these grandparent carers they would tell you they would rather not do it. It was hard when you were young let alone into your 50/60 an worse still 70's.

I think making a plan that sees the children happy and cared for and that the grandparents are also happy and cared for. There has to be ground rules and boundaries to keep to as well.

So good luck all the nan carers you are not alone!

xx