Random--opinion on overnight babysitter/family?

[Deleted]

DH & I are going out of town for a conference overnight tommorrow. My sister is coming to stay with them. It just occured to me that maybe she doesn't "need" to stay overnight because my BIL lives in our basement. I'm not changing anything & I'm not even sure I'm comfortable with the idea Anytime soon but would you be ok with it in theory? My BIL is in a separate apartment (rarely lay eyes on him) but we can open a door in the foyer & then it's just like a normal house. My girls would be upstairs asleep alone which is mostly what bothers me. They go down & watch TV or draw in BILs place once in a while if he's home & they are awake. He owns his own shop & works all day, virtually everyday which is why we dontseehim much these days. He's 32, a great guy & we do have an alarm on doors, etc...so what, if any age would you be ok with the opening of the door & telling the kids to wake him when they get up?

[Deleted]

I'd probably set up a baby monitor in the hallway so BIL would hear if they were up or yelling at night or whatever. If you trust him with your kids, then whatever age you'd leave them with him would be fine overnight.

Of course, I haven't left Owen overnight yet, so I might be a bit optimistic.

[bunch]

No way. For your bil's sake as well.

[shell403b]

I would probably do that. I like the baby monitor idea, b/c it sounds like it's a ways between where the girls are and where BIL is.

[drloretta]

I'd keep the sister there as babysitter. You'd be imposing on your BIL on short notice, and you already have your sister lined up in case your girls need anything.

[bunch]

I mean, didn't you say in another post that at least one of your girls gets up about 50% of the time?

[Deleted]

No one would bat an eye if BIL was SIL. Men can babysit.

I didn't mean this time, FWIW. You should ask and respect a "no" like anyone else, but if they know him and you trust him, I'd occasionally ask him.

[bunch]

T be clear, I'm not saying that bil isn't capable of babysitting, it's just the logistics of the rooms would make me uncomfortable with night waking young children.

[Deleted]

Nov 2, 2012 20:40:05 GMT -5 L said:

DH & I are going out of town for a conference overnight tommorrow. My sister is coming to stay with them. It just occured to me that maybe she doesn't "need" to stay overnight because my BIL lives in our basement. I'm not changing anything & I'm not even sure I'm comfortable with the idea Anytime soon but would you be ok with it in theory? My BIL is in a separate apartment (rarely lay eyes on him) but we can open a door in the foyer & then it's just like a normal house. My girls would be upstairs asleep alone which is mostly what bothers me. They go down & watch TV or draw in BILs place once in a while if he's home & they are awake. He owns his own shop & works all day, virtually everyday which is why we dontseehim much these days. He's 32, a great guy & we do have an alarm on doors, etc...so what, if any age would you be ok with the opening of the door & telling the kids to wake him when they get up?

No. I wouldn't be leaving them w/ an adult watching in a separate apartment. Could your BIL come upstairs and sleep on a foldout or something?
Edit: My main concern would be safety/fire/etc. If there was a fire and no adult was in the unit with them I would never forgive myself.

[ECB]

The basic idea of using him as a sitter occasionally is fine- assuming you talk to him about it, give him notice, etc. And I would have him use a monitor for after they go to bed.

But it sounds like you want your sister to come over and take care of them, then when they go to bed, she leaves and your BIL just listens out for them. But what if they DO wake up? OR what about the morning?

For one, he needs more notice. BUt secondly, I think if you're going to be gone all night, your girls need to spend itime w/ HIM as their caretaker just so that there is consistency while you're gone. Not "Oh, aunt is going to watch you, but if you wake up, she'll be gone and you just need to go downstairs". I don't like that set up at all.