do you pay your parents/inlaws/fam to watch kids?

[Deleted]

No. My parents watch DS occasionally so we can tackle an important farm chore or have a date night. However, I go out my way to make sure it's super easy for them. We always make sure that my parents pick the day so it's conveinent for them, and I always make sure there's a nice, easy dinner for them to make (we live in bumfuck so no takeout here). I also take the time to make sure everything they need to take care of DS is clean and ready (onesies, cloth wipes, labeling bottles, etc...) I know my mom appreciates that.

[whitepicketfence]

My parents and the ILs only watch the girls every so often so, no, we don't pay them.

[mie]

No, we don't pay them. They watch the girls occasionally for a few hours on the weekend.

[lishie]

my mom wouldn't let us pay her when she watched DS1 3 days a week for 18 months.

Instead, I tried to do nice things for her. I bought her a subscription to the broadway series and we went together to shows. When DH and I took a trip to Disney, they came with us, etc.

[rootbeerfloat]

For a date night (or afternoon), we don't pay them. They are happy to spend some time with their grandkids.

But we gave them a thank-you gift (GC for dinner) after they watched DS for a weekend while we went away.

[lintscreen]

MIL watches DS 3 days a week - we pay her.

My parents watch DS 1 day per week - we don't pay them.

MIL isn't working right now and they can definitely use any money they can get. If she wasn't watching DS and her other Granddaughter, she would be working. Thats why we help out.

On the other hand, my parents are retired and they just watch DS one day a week for fun.

[shell403b]

My mom has come up from TN (Tennessee, not TheNest, LOL) to VA (about an 8 hour drive) to stay with E for a weekend and E went to their place for a week. I didn't compensate them either time, b/c it was "Grandparent-Grandchild" time (their words). They prefer time alone w/ the grandkids b/c the dynamic is different (and I totally agree w/ that and support it). If they lived closer to us, it might be different (like babysitting on a random Wednesday or something), but who knows...maybe not. I have a cousin who lives in the area now that wants to babysit, and we'll probably pay her...b/c it just seems different to me than a formal "trip"--either the grandparents here or E to travel there.

I hope that ^ made sense.