I’m just curious what everyone’s experience is with family being helpful. Does grandma take the grand baby out or have them over to her house? I’m really curious what the average experience is.

I’m always trying to be cautious about feeling ungrateful for my mom but I rarely ask for her to hang out with my son and when I do she sends me mixed messages about being more than happy to help but also very eager to give him back. He’s almost 2 now and it has been this way his whole life. She never asks to take him anywhere or have him over; and when I ask for her help so I can get some stuff done around the house or something it’s almost always for 2 hours maximum. I ask this probably once every month or two.

I have two friends with daughters around the same age as my son and their moms are very involved. One would watch grandbaby all day and sometimes overnight and the other takes the grandbaby for the entire weekend, every weekend, since baby was about 3 months so mom could get back to work. I know -that- situation is a hugely fantastic help for the mom and is -not- an average experience but it has made my experience sting a little extra for me.

Since I don’t know many other moms I don’t know what the average is!