Undertaking the responsibility for Huey, Dewey and Louie when they arrived at his doorstep (because a giant firecracker exploded under their father's chair) 17 October 1937 could not be easy for Donald. 21 November 1937 Donald had had enough, and sent them home tied to the back of a lorry. Unfortunately, the boys returned to Donald, and have lived in his house since then. Judging by their behaviour the first period in Donald's house, their parents did not take control of the situation in their house.

When we look, we see that Donald is using a few techniques to keep them in check, and after a while he succeeded in calming his nephews down. In "Houseboat Holiday" (WDC 142-02) he maintains that he has found a way to keep the boys from making trouble: He anchors his houseboat in shallow waters far from the shore in a lake. Unfortunately Huey, Dewey and Louie manage to empty the gasoline (almost setting fire to the boat), putting fish in the drinking water and finally throwing a barrel with Donald inside it into the water. The barrel sails off the Niagara Falls and Donald comes home on crutches.

Some of the techniques Donald is using to keep the boys under control borders to abuse (sometimes he crosses the line too). It is easy to see only the negative aspects of Donald's childcare, but there are positive aspects too. He, for instance, lets them participate in Junior Woodchucks activities - which is probably the explanation for the ducklings pulling through growing up with an uncle as angry as Donald. He tries to keep them away from the mad scientist in "Ancient Persia" (OS 275-02) and actually travels to Egypt to save the kidnapped Huey in "The Mummy's Ring" (OS 29-01) too.

Sometimes Donald needs a break

But sometimes Donald needs to go away, or he needs a break in order to recover. At such times he usually asks Grandma Duck to take care of the boys ("Maharajah Donald", MOC 4-01), "Vacation Time" (WDC 83-02). Daisy is also used to being a baby-sitter ("The TV Babysitter", OS 1055-04). And Donald does his best to raise them in a better way after reading books ("Travelling Truants", WDC 169-03) or talking to a child expert ("Spoil the Rod", WDC 92-02).

Still, Donald proves himself childish sometimes, like when he dresses himself up like a girl in order to make the boys believe that a girl is better at kite making then they are in "Kite Weather" (WDC 42-02). We se a trace of Donald's lacking maturity in "Toyland"(FGW 48-01). In this story the Ducks are testing toys for Santa Claus and Donald is so involved in the playing that he forgets everything else.

Using the boys to gain social status

Sometimes it seems as if social status is more important to Donald than the well-being of his nephews. He may grow flowers in the ducklings' toys and puts tulip bulbs in their bed ("Fearsome Flowers", WDC 214-01) or tells them to play anywhere but in his garden as he plans making a prize garden ("Donald's Posy Patch", WDC 80-02). In the latter story the boys are allowed to play in the garden after all because Donald receives a prize for having the healthiest boys in town. Donald's desire for socialising with the cream of local society in "Going Ape" (WDC 91-02). In this story he wants the boys to pose as monkeys in order to complete his "African jungle". When Donald treats the boys like this it serves him right that he has to move to "Far, far away" at the end of the story.

Even though socialising with the cream of the crop is important, a good relation to his girlfriend (and especially having a better relation to her than Gladstone has) is even more important. There are many examples of Donald "borrowing" money from the boys' piggy bank in order to afford taking Daisy for a picnic trip ("Boxed-In", WDC 250-01) or buying a better present to Daisy than Gladstone does ("Gladstone Returns", WDC 95-02). He is no stranger to using the nephews' homing pigeon in order to flirt with the duck of his life ("Rocket Wing Saves the Day", WDC 139-01.