Keeping Grandsons

[riverdees05 Platinum Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close riverdees05]

My daughter and her spouse will be out of the country on business to two different countries for 10-12 days and I will be keeping the boys - ages 6 & 8 by myself. I live in TN and they live in MI. Do you have any recommendations on things I should have in place before they leave? We have spent a lot of time with them, but it has always been my wife and me and at least one parent was still in the USA.

This is what I have come up with so far:

1. Authorization form for treatment, since both of them will be out of the country.
2. List of Doctors, addresses and phone numbers.
3. Teachers names and how to get ahold of the school if necessary.
4. Friends with addresses & phone numbers in the area that could help, if there was an emergency.
5. List of anything that they have to go to after school, etc.

[helenbarnett1963 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close helenbarnett1963]

when my kids were younger we left them several times whilst we were away - grandparents came to our house to look after them.
Everything on your list is what I had on my list!
I would also add
any allergies (plus phobias eg hospitals)
what treatment they usually have for minor ailments (coughs & colds etc)
directions/maps to get to friends houses or activities
current particular food likes and dislikes
what to put in school lunchbox
any little foibles or habits - forgetting to put the bedtime drink in a favourite cup can cause a whole sleepless night!
names of current friends, favourite TV shows, favourite toys etc - these can change very frequently
bedtimes and other "rules" (including which rules granny can break and which are absolutes)
agree how often kids can speak to parents (eg email or prhone call once a day)

a lot will depend on how often you see the grandkids ( my parents saw our kids about every 3-6 months for a few days each time we visited them.....kids change a lot in 3 months!) and how comfortable they are with thier parents being away (my kids were used to it from an early age and saw it as a vacation at home with lots of forbidden treats!)

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

Copies of insurance cards, a stock of ordinary kid medicines (like children's Tylenol or Advil and a children's cold medicine), and have the medical permission form signed and notarized by both parents. Also maybe get a general "permission slip" from the parents saying that they will be away from this date to that date and while they are away you and DW will be acting as guardians of their children, Jim and Bob. Get that notarized, too.

Also--a multipack of underwear for each boy and an extra multipack of SOCKS!

[jericap Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close jericap]

I think most things have been covered..you could also ask what their daily schedule is like.
Do they do homework right after school or do they get a break, allowed to play for a bit then, do homework...

Do they have a sports schedule, like basketball? Boy scouts?
Good luck and have fun!!!

I'm sure your daughter will have everything prepared for you anyway!!