The Real Reason Your In-Laws Don't Want You (and Your Baby) to Visit

I'll never forget when all my husband's family went to his sister's house for Thanksgiving. His other sister's daughter was 3 at the time and she slept on the bed with her mom while Dad slept on the floor because it wasn't safe for the "baby"! After we had kids and visited family, we always got the kids psyched up about having their own "nest" on the floor.
When we travel, the only thing I probably take too much of is toys. We have always had to drive 6 and 10 hours to visit our families. Toddlers get tired of each toy quickly so I liked to have lots of replacements ready to hand them. We can't seem to get out of the habit of packing so many even though the kids are now 4 and 9 and don't need as many. I have made the rule that only 5 toys go in the house and the rest stay in the car while we visit so I'm not spending tons of time picking up toys and looking for them as I'm packing to leave.

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"Puma-Proof Your Portable Crib"... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

You just totally made my WEEK!!

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This is why I don't read parenting magazines.

Also, watch out for PUMAS IN THE CREVICES! (That's an old Smothers Brothers line, even though I'm not that old, I swear.)

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Reminds me of the Cat Fancy mags I used to thumb through as a kid for laughs. Not surprisingly, all the stuff they insist is essential to your pet's (or child's) survival is being advertised just a few pages away.

Great article!

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Oh dear, my baby sleeps on the floor at home. Clearly she is in mortal peril AS I TYPE.

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Wait a second . . . I hadn't thought of pumas!

I actually had an inflatable tub at my parents' house, but that was because their tub was not really usable (I wouldn't sit in it) and my kids were terrified of showers. Once they were out of diapers, I'd time their baths so they would take one just before visiting and not need another until coming home.

I also kept pack-n-plays there. When the kids are mobile and you want them to sleep while you're still awake socializing, the floor (or grown-up bed) really doesn't cut it. Two other things I had shipped directly from ToysRUs to my parents' house: little potties and a "superyard" (big playpen). The playpen was mainly so my kids had a place to hide from my parents' dog. But it also made it easier to focus on grown-up conversations during a long stay. And to keep the toys contained (and away from Cujo).

But all that other stuff - I didn't even use at home. I had one gate by the stairs until the kids were nearing 2. I refused to buy stuff that would make it hard to open or operate stuff in my own house. There is no way I'd bring all that crap to someone else's house.

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Interesting... I say that with raised eye brow. My toddler is 16 months. We have been to Athens 4 times, Bucharest 4 times, Strasbourg, Berlin twice, the list is long! What do I take with me? Um, some diapers and change of clothes. Babies don't need anything at all except a sane adult. Having said that, I breast fed, let her eat the foods I eat and always let her sleep in my bed. But, I would never admit to any of that to the Mommy police!

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I would never install child safety locks in another person's home. That's just inconsiderate.

But to try to pretend that a baby who's used to sleeping in a confined crib can then sleep well in an open space like the floor (especially a crawling baby... who can then crawl around to reach cords and electrical outlets and whatnot... that doesn't sound very smart, either.

Also, we never use a monitor at home, but I bought one to keep at my parents' house b/c it's much bigger and I literally could not hear my kid crying if he was up in the bedroom and I was downstairs with other people (and since the length of his naps has always been pretty unpredictable, it's much simpler for all of us to use a monitor rather than go check on him every 20 minutes).

I understand the point of this post, and usually agree with it overall. But the snark has got to go. Not all of us who carry even some of this stuff are insane parents who have lost our sanities... sometimes it actually makes common sense to bring extra stuff.

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These articles always make me wonder how I or any of my relatives are still alive, haha. I'm fifteen and I've just discovered that there's a such thing as a faucet cover. I have to admit, though, rash guards are not as loony as they sound. If you get one with a decent SPF (I've yet to find one that isn't), you never have to put sunscreen on your back again.

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Some of our favortie baby photos of my son came from visiting his granparents when we has 3 months old and we gave him a bath in a large mixing bowl. And, no, it was not a mixing bowl we lugged with us!

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We went to Hawaii and forgot to bring the pack'n'play. Our then 18mo daughter slept in the suitcase. No problems.

And if you ever want to understand how unnecessary all this nonsense is, spend some time in the rural South. Free-range might actually be an understatement. For example, when I went home to my affluent suburb to visit the grandparents, I was looked at funny because I was the only parent at a park with a water play area whose kids didn't have a hat, sunglasses, a UV shirt and swimming shoes. Came home, went to the pool and my daughter (3yo) was just about the only girl not wearing a tiny two-piece!

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I realiz that safety has became a large area of concern compared to when I was a child. However, my children are alive and thriving without going cazy over cabinet locks and faucet covers. When I visit family, there is never a lack of relatives listening for the baby or wanting to watch the youngsters. Maybe it isn't the norm but it works for us!

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when i was an infant my parents traveled about 6 hrs per car to get me baptized. being new parents, and as per tradition, staying in a cheap motel, forgot a crib and the hotel had none. i slept in the drawer. guess what? i was fine. just fine. its not like they shut the drawer all the way or anything. i'm pretty sure we never had any baby safety devises. at all. period. i was simply told that there were dangerous things under the sink that could kill me. so don't touch. i never did drink bleach. AMAZING that i survived, right? I made it to 23 and i have yet to fall off a floor, guzzle windex or stick a finger in a socket. go me.

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Heck, i just found out you're not supposed to recycle used cribs. How awful for your child to sleep in another crib a child has used! I understand not reusing a mattress, especially if it's sat in an attic or garage for years, but my grandmother freaked out because my cousin is using my (20 year old) crib that has been used by not only me, but my other cousin's son and daughter, especially since it's a drop side crib like they've been recalling. However, it was bought in 1990 and three babies have not only survived it, but have come out unscathed, so as far as the rest of the family, including the happy parents are concerned, there's nothing to worry about. Though, like I said, the mattress is being replaced. After all, it sat in the attic for 7 years before the second child inherited and then in a garage for another 5. Not exactly sanitary.

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