Ain't NO Friggin' Way!!!!

[jaF0]

Elderly-ish neighbor couple (neither in good health) have a relative that moved 60 some miles away after they had a kid and got married (in that order). Relative works in another city some 40 miles from their home in another direction. Neighbor couple does the day care for the infant. They drive to a more or less central meeting point about 40 miles from here, one way, 80 some miles round trip. Every weekday morning and again in the afternoon, 160 miles or so, 5 days a week.

The couple with the kid both have good, high-ish paying career jobs. and could easily afford day care.


Ain't NO Friggin' Way!!!!

 

[sigh]

Wow. Seems the younger couple is taking advantage of a convenient situation. I mean, if they're struggling and need help for a while, well sure, that's what families are for. But if they can afford to pay for care, let the older folks rest.

And with Covid, the older folks are now part of the younger folks (much bigger) bubble. Hope they've been vaccinated.

 

[oggbashan]

Some adult children's sense of entitlement is unlimited.

My parents helped with child care for my elder brother's children when they had four children aged under four. When we got married, they said, firmly, they were 'too old'.

We accepted that.

 

[jaF0]

The older couple doesn't feel 'used'. But if nothing else, they could keep the child two or three nights a week, not necessarily in a row which would cut out considerable travel.

 

[Liar]

The older couple doesn't feel 'used'. But if nothing else, they could keep the child two or three nights a week, not necessarily in a row which would cut out considerable travel.

It's fascinating how some people view distances differently. I have friends who can go "I'll pop over, it's only a three hour drive."

Dude. If I drive for three hours, I'm in another country.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

It's fascinating how some people view distances differently. I have friends who can go "I'll pop over, it's only a three hour drive."

Dude. If I drive for three hours, I'm in another country.

And if I drive three hours, I'm in Dallas/Fort Worth still in the same state I started in.

 

[Paul_Chance]

Folks have different perceptions of distance. Growing up in rural America, an eighty mile round trip was "Gonna pop out to the store". That set my sense of distance. I'm in California and have an old friend in Flagstaff, AZ. It's about a straight 12 hour drive one way, but to me it's just "a days drive away" and "I'll pop over for the weekend".

Whether it's a "taking advantage" type child-care situation depends entirely on the various folks and their relationship. If ones in an extended family it's not unusual and it's expected that relatives help each other - and when you help your relatives it's rarely an inconvenience.

 

[jaF0]

Folks have different perceptions of distance. Growing up in rural America, an eighty mile round trip was "Gonna pop out to the store". That set my sense of distance.

Pretty much the way it is here. But I do it a couple of times a month, not twice a day, 5 days a week.

 

[FL30]

And if I drive three hours, I'm in Dallas/Fort Worth still in the same state I started in.

You can drive for 8 hours and still be in Texas, even if you started in Texas.

 

[FL30]

Elderly-ish neighbor couple (neither in good health) have a relative that moved 60 some miles away after they had a kid and got married (in that order). Relative works in another city some 40 miles from their home in another direction. Neighbor couple does the day care for the infant. They drive to a more or less central meeting point about 40 miles from here, one way, 80 some miles round trip. Every weekday morning and again in the afternoon, 160 miles or so, 5 days a week.

The couple with the kid both have good, high-ish paying career jobs. and could easily afford day care.


Ain't NO Friggin' Way!!!!

Well, if the elderly couple is willingly doing this, then it's their choice. Whether it's out of a sense of dedication to their children and grandchildren or out of a sense of guilt for not helping with their children, they're the ones doing all the driving so it's still their choice - regardless of the reasons.

 

[pointless]

i like how you sniped them for having a child out of wedlock. that was fucking adorable.

 

[Wrong Element]

And if I drive three hours, I'm in Dallas/Fort Worth still in the same state I started in.

As a general rule, the farther west you go in the U.S., the less people think of an hour-long drive as being "long." I fell into that way of thinking when I was living in Texas. Driving to Dallas then took about as long as driving to Cincinnati does where I live currently, but it seemed shorter somehow.

 

[Champakian]

Folks have different perceptions of distance. Growing up in rural America, an eighty mile round trip was "Gonna pop out to the store". That set my sense of distance. I'm in California and have an old friend in Flagstaff, AZ. It's about a straight 12 hour drive one way, but to me it's just "a days drive away" and "I'll pop over for the weekend".

Whether it's a "taking advantage" type child-care situation depends entirely on the various folks and their relationship. If ones in an extended family it's not unusual and it's expected that relatives help each other - and when you help your relatives it's rarely an inconvenience.

Ditto. You just grow accustomed to it.

Good time to think...