Good gifts for family members who babysit? Thanks in advance!
June 30, 2017 9:45 AM Subscribe
My MIL babysits my two sons maybe 1 or 2 times a month for 3 hours. Offering to pay for those visits would likely offend her. But occasionally, the kids get sick and she will watch them for a couple of days; and this year there is a 4th of July daycare closure that lasts 3 days. If she spends multiple days watching my kids I'd like to come up with a nice gift at the end of it ($25-$40). What are some good ideas? Money is a bit tight but I need to do something!
Chocolate? Wine? A nice hand lotion? A nice olive oil?
Does she entertain at her home at all - like a book club or bridge club or something? Something that would make that nice, like a fancy snack she can share?
posted by vunder at 10:04 AM on June 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
Does she entertain at her home at all - like a book club or bridge club or something? Something that would make that nice, like a fancy snack she can share?
posted by vunder at 10:04 AM on June 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
My family members who don't like to be paid in money tend to like being repaid by doing something or making something for them. Maybe there is an errand near your workplace you can run for her on your lunch hour, or you could pick up dinner for her (& you and the kids) on your way home. Maybe you're good at making a recipe she likes, or you can help the kids make a special craft for her.
posted by Former Congressional Representative Lenny Lemming at 10:04 AM on June 30, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by Former Congressional Representative Lenny Lemming at 10:04 AM on June 30, 2017 [5 favorites]
If she sees babysitting as something she would obviously do for her family, make sure you're doing things for her too. For example, if she's sick, bring over soup or medicine, help her take care of something annoying around the house, etc. If you aren't, I bet she'd be thrilled to have you start.
If you are and you want to get her a gift, you are an excellent family member and I agree with quince that a nice, quiet, adults-only treat would be the thing. Wine or something along those lines might also be good if she enjoys it. Or maybe you can have her over for a fancy homemade dinner where she can spend time with the grandkids without having to watch them.
posted by snaw at 10:05 AM on June 30, 2017 [5 favorites]
If you are and you want to get her a gift, you are an excellent family member and I agree with quince that a nice, quiet, adults-only treat would be the thing. Wine or something along those lines might also be good if she enjoys it. Or maybe you can have her over for a fancy homemade dinner where she can spend time with the grandkids without having to watch them.
posted by snaw at 10:05 AM on June 30, 2017 [5 favorites]
Return the favor and do stuff for her. And gift her something she can show off a bit as a gift from her family- which is dependent on her lifestyle, hobbies and interests as people have said above. Even someone who isn't into that kind of thing will enjoy that, it's is a nice public acknowledgement that you love and value her.
Also I'd try to spend a little time with her when she's not babysitting. Invite her over for family dinner or to sports events, that kind of thing. My mother was terrible at social skills and never did that and we are the only kids not close with the extended family which we all regret a lot.
posted by fshgrl at 10:36 AM on June 30, 2017
Also I'd try to spend a little time with her when she's not babysitting. Invite her over for family dinner or to sports events, that kind of thing. My mother was terrible at social skills and never did that and we are the only kids not close with the extended family which we all regret a lot.
posted by fshgrl at 10:36 AM on June 30, 2017
My in-laws would never accept payment (or even gifts, I think) for watching our kids, but they have yet to turn down garden produce or baked goods. Somehow if I make or grow it, it comes across less like "payment" to them.
If you do want to do a gift, maybe a restaurant gift card would work.
posted by christinetheslp at 11:24 AM on June 30, 2017 [2 favorites]
If you do want to do a gift, maybe a restaurant gift card would work.
posted by christinetheslp at 11:24 AM on June 30, 2017 [2 favorites]
I'm afraid there's no substitute for just learning what she likes. For instance, my mom can never have too many earrings. So I would keep my eye out for earrings that were her style and occasionally pick one up. I would try to avoid a very clear tit-for-tat relationship if she regarded the babysitting as a favor. Instead I'd regard the earrings as "we saw these and thought of you," and simply try to have that kind of thing happen now often than it might otherwise.
posted by salvia at 1:57 PM on June 30, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by salvia at 1:57 PM on June 30, 2017 [2 favorites]
If she doesn't do her own gardening but likes to keep her house looking well-kept, how about going to a nursery and getting her a nice hanging basket or two that she can enjoy for the summer?
Or do a couple yourself, maybe with the kids helping -- it's not hard at all to put together a nice basket. You need at least a couple different types of plants as a friend used to say -- a thriller, a spiller, and a filler.
posted by Nerd of the North at 3:48 PM on June 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
Or do a couple yourself, maybe with the kids helping -- it's not hard at all to put together a nice basket. You need at least a couple different types of plants as a friend used to say -- a thriller, a spiller, and a filler.
posted by Nerd of the North at 3:48 PM on June 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
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posted by quince at 9:49 AM on June 30, 2017 [1 favorite]