So I need some advice on what to say/do in this situation.
I left my two sons with my MIL for a few hours last week. It was supposed to be for a full day but my plans changed and instead of canceling on her (because she was so excited to have them) I dropped them off and ran errands around the city. It was refreshing for me to do my own thing and I knew the boys would have fun since she is a wonderful grandma to them - spoils them, gives them tons of attention etc.
We specifically picked that day so she wouldn't have my niece and nephew - she babysits them a couple days every week. They are 8 and 6 and can't be left alone with my toddlers because they practically smother my kids - try to pick them up all the time, play way too rough, get right in their face, no concept of safety etc. So it's usually best that my MIL is only alone with two of them at a time because they are all a handful.
When I got back, DS1 tells me he fell into the pool. She elaborates and told me the situation: he was filling up a toy bucket and tipped into the pool. He's only two and a half and is not a good swimmer whatsoever. He was wearing water wings so he bobbed to the surface, looked really shocked but didn't cry and was more alarmed that his bucket was floating away.
She said she only looked away for a moment to help my nephew with something. My SIL had stopped by, the kids wanted to go swimming so she left her two with MIL as well. Precisely what I was trying to avoid.
Now I didn't really say anything at the time because I didn't know what to say! Maybe I *am* maturing
instead of blurting out the first thing that came to my mind which was - Oh My Gosh He Could Have Drowned, what were you thinking!!!
Now that I've been thinking about it, she doesn't have any CPR training which is worrisome to me. Their backyard is fenced, but the in-ground pool takes up the majority of it. The kids can't play on the deck because it gives them splinters. I guess after that incident she pulled the playpen outside to put DS2 into, not fun for him but much safer because he is more than willing to jump into the pool by himself too. But she still had to supervise 3 children who were in the pool.
Should I.....insist that no matter how much DS1 hates it, he should always wear a life jacket when he's in the backyard? It's uncomfortable and makes it difficult to play...
FWIW I have had one of those floating bathing suits on him but it just made him bob upright and wouldn't roll him onto his back.
Strongly suggest that she take some CPR/swimming safety training?
Insist that if I *do* leave the kids with her again, they just don't play in the backyard?
Never leave the kids with her again?
Or....?
What do you suggest??
I am really trying not to make a huge deal out of this but it's difficult when I imagine what could have happened.
I left my two sons with my MIL for a few hours last week. It was supposed to be for a full day but my plans changed and instead of canceling on her (because she was so excited to have them) I dropped them off and ran errands around the city. It was refreshing for me to do my own thing and I knew the boys would have fun since she is a wonderful grandma to them - spoils them, gives them tons of attention etc.
We specifically picked that day so she wouldn't have my niece and nephew - she babysits them a couple days every week. They are 8 and 6 and can't be left alone with my toddlers because they practically smother my kids - try to pick them up all the time, play way too rough, get right in their face, no concept of safety etc. So it's usually best that my MIL is only alone with two of them at a time because they are all a handful.
When I got back, DS1 tells me he fell into the pool. She elaborates and told me the situation: he was filling up a toy bucket and tipped into the pool. He's only two and a half and is not a good swimmer whatsoever. He was wearing water wings so he bobbed to the surface, looked really shocked but didn't cry and was more alarmed that his bucket was floating away.
She said she only looked away for a moment to help my nephew with something. My SIL had stopped by, the kids wanted to go swimming so she left her two with MIL as well. Precisely what I was trying to avoid.
Now I didn't really say anything at the time because I didn't know what to say! Maybe I *am* maturing
instead of blurting out the first thing that came to my mind which was - Oh My Gosh He Could Have Drowned, what were you thinking!!!Now that I've been thinking about it, she doesn't have any CPR training which is worrisome to me. Their backyard is fenced, but the in-ground pool takes up the majority of it. The kids can't play on the deck because it gives them splinters. I guess after that incident she pulled the playpen outside to put DS2 into, not fun for him but much safer because he is more than willing to jump into the pool by himself too. But she still had to supervise 3 children who were in the pool.
Should I.....insist that no matter how much DS1 hates it, he should always wear a life jacket when he's in the backyard? It's uncomfortable and makes it difficult to play...
FWIW I have had one of those floating bathing suits on him but it just made him bob upright and wouldn't roll him onto his back.
Strongly suggest that she take some CPR/swimming safety training?
Insist that if I *do* leave the kids with her again, they just don't play in the backyard?
Never leave the kids with her again?
Or....?
What do you suggest??
I am really trying not to make a huge deal out of this but it's difficult when I imagine what could have happened.
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