GRAND Magazine - May/June 2018 - 25

Nanny or Granny?

2 Some families report that

How many days are you available,

3 Don't keep the family times

More and more grandparents are helping with
childcare for their grandchildren. It's estimated
that more than 60% of grandparents provide
some childcare.
If grandparents are providing more than a
parents' night out or occasional "sitting" - and
are instead the major source of childcare there are pros and cons to consider. Thinking
through the situation ahead of time may save
awkward situations or hurt feelings - either
theirs or yours.
given the other aspects of your life? Being a
grandparent doesn't mean you must give up
your hobbies, your friends, and your health.
In fact, if you want to stay happy and healthy
and be present for the long-term, don't be too
quick to eliminate what you love and need.
Filling the nanny role may add new
dimensions to your relationship with your son
or daughter and partner. Are they "the boss"?
Are they difficult to please? Are they expecting you to be perfect? If so, it might be better
to let another person be nanny while you
enrich your grandbaby's life in other ways.
How will you deal with the issue of nanny
pay?
Are you physically able in terms of the
strength and energy to provide the care that
an infant...and then a toddler...requires? It
could be risky for either you or your grandbaby or both to pretend you can do what you
honestly can't.
25 GRAND

MAY JUNE 2018

encouraging their granny/nanny to accept
pay, even if nominal, makes the arrangement
seem more mutual. If grandparents don't
actually need the extra money, one suggestion is to agree to something less than the
going nanny rate. Another idea is for the
baby's parents to express appreciation with
something special - paying for a weekend
trip or treating them to a "dinner out" each
month.

going so the grandparents only see their
grandchild when they're on duty.
An editor of American Baby Magazine discussing grandparents as babysitters.

On the positive side, here are several
considerations:

Day-to-day or frequent contact with your GRANDbaby gives you the opportunity to build a very special bond and to be there for all the major moments.
Your arrangement may give your daughter or son and partner a truly
priceless gift: peace of mind. The nanny industry is filled with good,
honest, dependable people. Even so - you are a known quantity and
your love for the grandbaby is guaranteed.

5 Tips for success with granny/nanny
arrangement.

1 Grandparents have special privileges nannies don't have. So some families set up different nanny rules
and granny rules. In time, children become used to the two separate
roles.

4 The responsibility not to overdo

the time expected for childcare sometimes falls on the baby's
parents. They should be sure the grandparents don't give up everything
else - even if they seem willing to do so.

Click here to continue reading

Cheryl Harbour is the special
editor of the "My GRANDbaby"
section and author of Good to
Be Grand: Making the Most of
your Grandchild's First Year,
a combination of up-to-date
information and grandparently
inspiration.

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GRAND Magazine - May/June 2018

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