Who could be more loving and caring for your children than your parents? Grandparents are a godsend for those times when you need a reliable babysitter. They’re almost always willing to watch the kids, and never sneak their boyfriends in after you’ve left them alone for a night out. 

So what could be better, right? Well, grandparents are not always the best babysitting option for absolutely all families. Here are ten reasons why grandparents can be terrible sitters:

1. Low Stamina

Your parents have retired from active parenthood. At least that part of ‘active’ that requires one to keep up with a two-year-old hellion. This factor alone can be a significant cause for reason number two.

2. Limitless Allowance

For a moment of peace and the chance to take a quick nap, your folks can be prone to give anything to your child. You can’t blame a 60-year old for wanting a little quiet time after 4 straight hours and 181 choruses of the Baby Shark Dance song, but it’ll wind up costing you too, eventually.

3. Pampering

Grandparents often miss having little ones around the house. Nothing cures that like getting their wish, we say. Still, they are prone to lavish little ones with attention, toys, and a variety of privileges. 

4. Payback for their past experience

Do you remember the torment you gave your parents when you played that fantastic toy? Perhaps you also recall that their parents gave it to you for Christmas. Aren’t family traditions beautiful?

5. Discipline

For better or worse, in a lot of ways, our ideas about parenting differ from our parents. Your child’s grandparents may not be 100% on board with your own ideas about discipline and how to raise your child.

6. Draft Dodgers

The truth is that, contrary to popular misconception, grandparents aren’t exactly what you’d call an all-volunteer force. If your folks are among those grandparents who have had their fill of attending to toddlers, they would indeed make a terrible choice for sitters.

7. Overtime?

On the flip side, if your folks can’t get enough quality time with your children, it may be a little tough getting them to go back home. Your one night out may turn into a month-long visit from the folks.

8. Privacy

Let’s be honest, some parents would prefer that their own parents not spend time in their homes without supervision. For some reason, and we do not pry or judge here, I would prefer that the neighbor’s daughter take care of the child.

9. Health

In situations where a grandparent’s or child’s health might be genuinely at risk assuming the responsibilities of babysitting, it would be most definitely wise to look elsewhere.

10. Sharing a Home

Grandparents living in the same house as their family probably need at least as much rest from children as parents. In such cases, it isn’t a good idea to automatically assume that the grandparents will be agreeable to babysit.

As you can see, it is not always a good idea to have grandparents as the babysitter. When thinking of your babysitting options, have these factors in mind. There are many grandparents that are very conscious of their role on their grandchildren’s development so some of these might not apply to you. Play it smart and give your kid’s Grandparents a break.