Does anyone use childcare for things that are NOT related to working at a job? - Page 4

[Pandora114]

Havn't read the responses, but DH and I use childcare for date nights, and if we want to shop at places like costco *mostly because people dont look where they're going in costco*

Yup, the night my DH and I had our wedding, I left my DD with my parents, then the night after, his parents had her..

OOps. worst parent ...ever award coming up huh?

[Tigerchild]

Originally Posted by mamasaurus

Tigerchild - please don't jump to conclusions. Please give me a little more credit for good manners. Our nanny is fine with my family knowing she is a lesbian, and no, my sister did not ask.

If I were jumping to conclusions, I wouldn't have asked why you think your sister knows or cares about what gender your nanny is attracted to. That part of your post just totally threw me, because whether or not your nanny is a lesbian seemed really irrelevant to things. She was giving you crap about using a nanny for me-time. You were the one who was saying that maybe it was because your nanny was a lesbian--I merely asked how in the heck she would really know...unless you or your nanny told her.

I don't see how good manners enters in, you're the one who brought it up as a possibility, and it seemed to be a side issue. :P But hey, my closest mama-friend loves her t-shirt that says "DYKE" in large letters across the front (especially when she's wearing her skirt and stompy boots) so I'm pretty sure that most people could form their own conclusions as to what gender her partner is. But barring that (and maybe this is because I tend to be oblivious to the sekrit signs, if any) how in the world would anyone know, especially in a child care situation? Color me confused.

[TripMom]

Originally Posted by mamasaurus

For example - running household errands, grocery/other shopping, doctor's appointments, working out at a gym, having a date night with your DH, spending some time with a girlfriend, working on household projects where having your toddler underfoot would really be difficult (maybe painting rooms or something like that), having a little time to yourself, etc.

By "childcare", I mean anyone other than your DH. It could be your mom, sister, other relatives, a church-run Parents Morning Out program, the childcare center at your gym, friends, other moms that you swap childcare with, nanny, a babysitting co-op, babysitter, etc.

I'm just asking because I do this sometimes, and I'm getting some flak from my sister for doing it. She thinks I should try to do everything related to my home on my own, without any help with my children. I just can't believe I'm the only one who does this sometimes. Is there anyone else out there who does this?

Mamasaurus - email me anytime. I have 4, 3 years and under - and I need help all the time -- and I get it! I feel no need to martyr myself. I see no virtue in coming home from work and scrubbing my own toilets - when I can have someone else scrub the toilet and I can spend that time with my kids. I also see no virtue in completely subjugating my relationship with my DH to my relationship with the kids - we go out together about 2x or 3x/month - after the triplets have gone to bed usually but DS is still up. DS loves his sitters - its like a big party night for him.

This is one of my pet-peeves -- but I don't believe being a good parent or an attached parent means you never get help when its available to you -- that is called being a martyr.

[becoming]

I see absolutely nothing wrong with what you're doing. Why should your kids have to come on boring errands when they could be home doing something fun?