Anonymous
09/27/2019 15:37
Subject: Re:I am so envious...
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Four hours is actually really close, OP. My family is about 1200 miles away. I am envious that yours are so close.
Oh sorry - i should have specified. 4 hour flightIt's like a 30 hour drive. We live in Texas and they are all on the east coast.
My sisters and their families live in the same small town that my parents do. It’s hard not to feel envious. I totally understand.
Anonymous
09/27/2019 15:35
Subject: I am so envious...
I would rather pay a babysitter, give a nice kid a job, than be beholden to the whims and drama of my family or the absolute crazy of my husband's family.
Family providing childcare is not usually as golden and perfect in practice as it is in your imagination.
Family providing childcare is not usually as golden and perfect in practice as it is in your imagination.
Anonymous
09/27/2019 14:25
Subject: Re:I am so envious...
We have Il's that are close by but we don't have the money for a sitter. So while I am thankful they are close by I am envious at those people that can pay a sitter at the drop of a hat, or pay for camps that cost $400 a week.
My 7yo desperately wants to do horse riding lessons but theyre $60 an hour so thats not happening.
My 7yo desperately wants to do horse riding lessons but theyre $60 an hour so thats not happening.
Anonymous
09/27/2019 14:22
Subject: I am so envious...
Anonymous wrote:My sister has the benefit of our local (to her) parents, and I'm very envious.
Of course, she non-stop complaints about their interventions into her parenting. E.g. Sister and her spouse went away for a long weekend, and grandparents watched their nearly 2 year old. 2 year old was crabby (because she's 2), so grandparents decided to start giving her several baby bottles per day (wtf).
Now sister is mad that the kid always wants a bottle. Um...you went away for a long weekend!! Give my 2 year old cigarettes, I don't care as long as I get to go away for a few days.
LOL. Yup! This is OP. DH and I just went away for the first time since my younger daughter was born (she's 15 months). We flew my parents in for the weekend. My mom not only gave the 15 month old bottles (we stop at 12 months) but also let the 3.5 year old use them? I shrugged it off. You're watching my kid for free. As long as no one ends up in the ER, I consider it a win.
Anonymous
09/27/2019 14:22
Subject: I am so envious...
Yes, we have local grandparents who ask to do one sleepover a month with their grand daughter, no strings attached. Plus days off school, summer and winter break, etc. It's amazing and saves us so much money. However ... however ... they're only willing to do so much because we have one kid versus the other local siblings who have more than one (they babysit, but can't handle overnights and multiple days in a row with more than one kid). And we only have one because 3 IUIs and 4 rounds of IVF failed and I'm now in premature menopause. So my parenting envy is the parents that get to have all the kids they want and even get to space them however closely they want.
Anonymous
09/27/2019 14:20
Subject: Re:I am so envious...
Anonymous wrote:Four hours is actually really close, OP. My family is about 1200 miles away. I am envious that yours are so close.
Oh sorry - i should have specified. 4 hour flight
It's like a 30 hour drive. We live in Texas and they are all on the east coast.
Anonymous
09/27/2019 14:12
Subject: Re:I am so envious...
Four hours is actually really close, OP. My family is about 1200 miles away. I am envious that yours are so close.
Anonymous
09/27/2019 14:11
Subject: I am so envious...
My sister has the benefit of our local (to her) parents, and I'm very envious.
Of course, she non-stop complaints about their interventions into her parenting. E.g. Sister and her spouse went away for a long weekend, and grandparents watched their nearly 2 year old. 2 year old was crabby (because she's 2), so grandparents decided to start giving her several baby bottles per day (wtf).
Now sister is mad that the kid always wants a bottle. Um...you went away for a long weekend!! Give my 2 year old cigarettes, I don't care as long as I get to go away for a few days.
Of course, she non-stop complaints about their interventions into her parenting. E.g. Sister and her spouse went away for a long weekend, and grandparents watched their nearly 2 year old. 2 year old was crabby (because she's 2), so grandparents decided to start giving her several baby bottles per day (wtf).
Now sister is mad that the kid always wants a bottle. Um...you went away for a long weekend!! Give my 2 year old cigarettes, I don't care as long as I get to go away for a few days.
Anonymous
09/27/2019 14:06
Subject: I am so envious...
I agree with you OP, family is all in England and I really miss my son being able to stay with his grandparents for the weekend.
Anonymous
09/27/2019 14:05
Subject: I am so envious...
Yes, we have local grandparents and family that are helpful and we DO appreciate them and know how lucky we are. We also have close friends we can drop off kids with too (unrelated “aunts and uncles”) that are even better.
Anonymous
09/27/2019 13:57
Subject: Re:I am so envious...
If you have a regular sitter, they can become very close to the kids. Especially if the grandparents aren't local. I still see the kids I watched in college, and they are now in high school or graduated college at this point.
Anonymous
09/27/2019 13:57
Subject: I am so envious...
Anonymous wrote:I am not a jealous person and I wouldn’t want to trade lives with anyone. But I am SO envious of people who have close by family help that is actually helpful. I hope those of you who have this realize just how unbelievably lucky you are. My parents are a 4 hour plane ride away and my siblings are about that far. We have a great after school nanny who we love, but it’s just not the same. What I wouldn’t give to just be able to drop my kids off at their grandparents for a few hours every weekend....Sadly our jobs are here and we aren’t moving to where they are and they are not moving here...
Anyway, just a Friday afternoon vent. What’s your parenting envy?
Not lucky, we have to live in this area, which is a disgusting cost of living, and full of close minded individuals and success obsessed helicopter parents. We came from Memphis, and would much prefer to be back in a that climate, that diversity, that cost of living. But our parents need us here.
Anonymous
09/27/2019 13:53
Subject: I am so envious...
Anonymous wrote:OP, get a standing babysitting date. Every week. Yes, it costs money, but it's well worth it for your own piece of mind and your marriage.
BTW- don't forget there is no free lunch. Close grandparents who volunteer to babysit come with a host of complications as well.
This is OP. We go out plenty. But it (1) is expensive and (2) there's no one like grandparents (at least my parents) who are super close with the grandkids. It's just not the same as a paid sitter.
I know grass is always greener though...guess this is just my thing!
Anonymous
09/27/2019 13:39
Subject: I am so envious...
OP, get a standing babysitting date. Every week. Yes, it costs money, but it's well worth it for your own piece of mind and your marriage.
BTW- don't forget there is no free lunch. Close grandparents who volunteer to babysit come with a host of complications as well.
BTW- don't forget there is no free lunch. Close grandparents who volunteer to babysit come with a host of complications as well.
Anonymous
09/27/2019 13:36
Subject: I am so envious...
I am not a jealous person and I wouldn’t want to trade lives with anyone. But I am SO envious of people who have close by family help that is actually helpful. I hope those of you who have this realize just how unbelievably lucky you are. My parents are a 4 hour plane ride away and my siblings are about that far. We have a great after school nanny who we love, but it’s just not the same. What I wouldn’t give to just be able to drop my kids off at their grandparents for a few hours every weekend....Sadly our jobs are here and we aren’t moving to where they are and they are not moving here...
Anyway, just a Friday afternoon vent. What’s your parenting envy?
Anyway, just a Friday afternoon vent. What’s your parenting envy?