‘Do it your way’: Mom’s viral take on babysitting sparks parenting debate
Nov 8, 2025, 5:00 AM
A grandmother and her grandson hold hands on a walk. (Photo: Charles McQuillan, Getty Images)
(Photo: Charles McQuillan, Getty Images)
This is a parenting debate that’s lighting up TikTok and stirring up family group chats everywhere.
Mom and TikTok creator Lily Chapman has gone viral for her take on grandparents babysitting.
“I think this is more like controversial or unique than I thought it was, but my take is basically, if you’re watching my kid, you can do it your way,” Chapman said on social media.
Lily has a 14-month-old daughter, and she has three sets of grandparents, each with their own style.
“As long as you’re not crossing an explicit boundary that I’ve set that has to do with safety, I will not be complaining,” Chapman stated.
Lily only has, what she calls, three “very strict” safety boundaries:
1.) Grandparents need to cut their daughter’s food into tiny, non-choking-hazard pieces.
2.) No surprise guests.
3.) Safe sleep practices are non-negotiable.
Otherwise, Lily said she has learned to embrace the chaos.
“My dad will send me pictures of my baby up to two hours past her bedtime,” Chapman said. “I’m like, ‘Looks like you guys are having fun.’ I’ll be like, ‘Oh my God. I hope my baby likes potatoes.’ And my mom will be like, ‘Well, she loves my French fries.’ I’m strictly, strictly no screen time, but when Ruby’s with her other Grandpa and I get a picture of them watching a game, Ruby’s cheering for the Rangers, h*** yeah, she is.”
But not everyone’s on board.
One person shared that her mother-in-law gave her baby button batteries in a container as a toy. Others chimed in, saying that not following nap and bedtime schedules is extremely disruptive to their weekday routines.
But Lily said she had to let go of control. She wants people to enjoy watching her daughter. Adding, no one wants to babysit with a rule book in one hand and a crying baby in the other.
