We Left Our Baby With My Dad—And Came Back to Chaos

Trusting someone to babysit for your child can be one of the hardest things to do. That’s why most couples go to a trusted family member. And that’s what this woman decided to do. She left her dad with her baby, but things didn’t turn out so good in the end.

I thought I could trust my dad.

The woman writes, “We’ve always trusted my dad—he’s old-school, but he raised three of us, and we turned out okay (mostly). So when my husband and I had a wedding to attend out of town, it felt like a no-brainer to let ‘Grandpa Joe’ babysit our 10-month-old for the afternoon.

He was thrilled to help and kept saying how babies were easier back in his day—no gadgets, no apps, ‘just common sense.’ We prepped everything: labeled food, clear instructions, emergency contacts, napping positions, and even FaceTimed halfway through. All seemed fine, until we got home.”

My son’s skin was red.

She reveals, “Our son had a weird rash around his mouth and smelled off. Not bad, just weird. We panicked and asked what he’d eaten.

My dad shrugged and casually said, ‘He didn’t like the mushy stuff you left, so I made him a proper snack. Scrambled eggs and a little honey.’ I swear my heart stopped.”

He gave my baby honey.

She continues, “Honey. For a baby under one-year-old. He had no idea that giving honey to infants can cause botulism, which can be life-threatening. We rushed to urgent care, where the doctor gave us the ‘you should’ve known better’ look. Thankfully, it was caught early, and our baby was fine—just a mild reaction from the eggs.

My dad is now feeling super guilty and is begging us to let him babysit again. He swears he’ll follow all our instructions and only give the food we leave. Am I the bad person for not wanting to leave my baby alone with him again?”

Your grandpa meant well.

It’s clear your dad loves your baby and had no ill intentions—he just didn’t know. Older generations often parented with the knowledge they had at the time, and some outdated practices (like honey for babies) weren’t seen as risky back then. His guilt shows he cares, but your hesitation is completely valid.

Rebuilding trust can take time.

It’s okay to need time before trusting him alone with your child again. You’re not a bad person for prioritizing safety over his feelings. You could say, “Dad, we know you’d never hurt him on purpose, but we’re still really shaken up. Right now, we’re not ready for solo babysitting, but we’d love you to spend time with him when we’re around.”

Taking small steps to letting him babysit again.

If you want to give him another chance, start slow with supervised visits. Let him help while you’re there, so he learns your rules hands-on. You can also provide written instructions. Even if you’ve talked before, a clear list (with big NOs like honey) removes guesswork.

In addition, you can try short trial runs. Maybe a quick grocery trip while he watches the baby, then gradually longer outings.

Thinking twice before letting your dad babysit again is a completely normal reaction. Putting your baby first is important. Being a mom is a tough job, just look at these comics proving that they’re the real superheroes.