As your next weekly challenge, we’re sharing a favorite activity from our book, The Rookie Mom’s Handbook:
In the long run, Grandma, baby and Mom and Dad will all look forward to this annual tradition. Since you’re still a rookie, however, do this to the degree you feel comfortable.
How it works: You and your partner plan an overnight trip. It might just be to a hotel in a nearby city. Your baby’s grandparents come stay at your place, saving you the trouble of packing up your baby’s things. Train them on usage of the car seat and the coffeemaker and LET GO.
Encourage Grandma and Grandpa to establish special traditions with your child.
Add a night to Camp Grandma each year so that you take a two-night trip next year, and by the time your child is fourteen, dear Grandma will get a two-week fill of adolescent merriment.
Grammy is trained and ready for these guys
If you’re a rookie grandma, we recommend The Granny Diaries to head off potential power struggles with rookie moms such as ourselves (because we know we can be difficult — sorry about that!). Here’s our review.
Are you ready to leave your baby for the night? Tell us about it!
Love it! I’m sure we’ll be ready for that soon… maybe when he’s a year… and we’re not nursing anymore…
My parents used to send us to Mexico so we could be with our grandparents…not something that would be worthwhile just for a night or the weekend. We would go for the entire summer (yes, that’s four kids for three months at a time) and those summers are the best memories we have. We are the only grandchildren (out of 60+) who were able to enjoy our grandparents that way. My son (now 2) and stepson (now almost-5 – God bless his mother) have already been to visit my parents in Florida for at least 3-weeks and at most 5-weeks at a time. IMHO, letting willing grandparents help out is one of the best things you can do for your child.
When I’m done nursing I’m in! My parents would do an amazing job. I loved visiting my Nana overnight as a kid.
ooh.. this is scary. I’ve never used a babysitter at all and we have a sleepover with Grandma planned for February when my daughter will be 17months. It has to be at her house since we don’t live in the same state, but we will be there for a formal military event for my husband and it will be our first date in… 17 months or so.
That is one good-looking grandma!
this is so cool! and i hope one day can do this for my children. It also makes me sad because i have no one who would do this for us. my mother passed away many years ago and my mother in law struggles with a positive relationship with us. So i thank and appreciate all grandmothers that are a significant part of their grand children and children’s lives.