Ok, I need help!

Okay, the game is over, I give in now! I hung in there for all those night feedings, I lifted those carseats like a trooper so we could get out of the house, I kept my energy up all day to play with my girls, but now I've reached the end of what I can do and I need help now! I am pregnant and tired. My dh is sick with whatever stomach bug the girls had so now I have 3 to take care of. He says he doesn't know how I do it, but I don't think I can. So I may as well look for help now. Yeah, I can't justify the expense because I am a sahm, but when does life get easier? Life is just going to get harder and harder unless I make it a little easier for myself.

So, let's talk help. If you have it, what kind, how much ... I need all the details. My family is local but they are no help so I need the paying kind of help. Thanks!

 

I would look for a mommy's helper. The pay is minimal but you will be there so it doesn't matter that its just a pre-teen helping you out. You will be surprised how much stuff you will get done with someone coming over a couple times a week in the afternoon. Try local babysitting certification groups... hospitals and YMCAs run them.

 

^I was going to suggest the same thing. You do need help, SAHM or not!

 

See if you can find a girl in highschool or in college that can help, I agree with the PP Mommy's Helper would be best and cheapest. Around here Momm's Helpers range anywhere from $7-15 depending on the age and what you are having them do. If you have a local twins group see if you can get refrences from them.

 

I have a neighbor who wants to be a "mothers helper" but she's more work than I need. I personally would try a nursing student or a college student to come over a few times a week for several hours at a time. (You will NEED a FEW NAPS!!)

Good luck and let us know what you decide! I am ALL FOR you getting a little help!

 

HI,

I use a sitter that I found on Sitter City and she is a college junior who had experience sitting for twins. She's a great help and I just use her 10 -12 hours a week but it's a god send cause I can get things done while she's here.

I pay $12 an hour but she would have accepted less.

Teri D

 

I have a nanny that I found on Craig's list. I put an ad online and interviewed a few nannies. If I liked them I gave them a two week trial. I went through two before we found this one. She is a wonderful nanny whom I adore. She works 5 days a week, 10 to 6. I have no family here at all so I am so gratul for the help. We pay her $14 an hour and she is worth every cent but, wow, it is hard writing that check at the end of the week.

 

Many colleges/unversities have an area in the student center or student services that you can advertise for nannies or sitters. If there is a college in your area, look it up on their website too. Often you can post a job opportunity online without leaving your home!I have gotten babysitters this way. Many education majors have to have to get some experience with children, so they would love to babysit as much as they can.

That said, we have an au pair. She is from Brazil and lives in our home. It is way cheaper than a full time nanny or babysitter and she is wonderful. If you have an extra room you can turn into a bedroom, it is worth looking into. We went through a service called AuPair Care, but there are others like AuPair America. You can look up info online, but I'm happy to answer questions about it if you PM me. At first it was difficult to convince my DH that it wouldn't be wierd or awful to have someone living in our home, but now he can't imagine doing this without her. (We have a 3 yr old and 8 m old twins)We are actually keeping her here with us for a second year, that's how much we love her! She is allowed to work 45hrs a week, must have one day off a week and one weekend off per month. Besides that, you work together to find what works for your family. It's really a great option if you can afford the up front cost!

Good luck searching for childcare! You really do need some help, especially in the beginning of your pregnancy. Get some rest when you can.

Kelly

 

quote:
I would look for a mommy's helper. The pay is minimal but you will be there so it doesn't matter that its just a pre-teen helping you out. You will be surprised how much stuff you will get done with someone coming over a couple times a week in the afternoon. Try local babysitting certification groups... hospitals and YMCAs run them.


Ditto!

 

We have someone M-F 8-5, but I don't tell people we have a "nanny" bc i am here 24-7 too and i feel like it implies something it isn't. we have a daughter who just turned 2, so i needed it too big time. this is a good time to find someone so you can be getting her adjusted to how you do things before your new baby comes. we pay $10 an hour, but like i said i am here all the time and i don't expect any heavy cleaning or anything. i make a list of what all needs to be done-bottles, laundry, restocking diapers etc and it doesn't matter who does it between the two of us,. just that it gets done. i'm always with one or the other of my 3 babies in some way during the day,. except during nap time when i have a chance to get groceries or run errands or pay bills etc. it won't be forever so we can justify the expense. i would do whatever i had to do cutting costs other places to make this happen.

 

does anyone have any idea if nanny expense is tax deductible? r we supposed to report pay to the irs??

 

HI,

I have a college kid come 10 hours a week for $12 an hour. She's great. I'm home most of the time or I run out and do errands. really helps my emotional well being. Found her on www.sittercity.com

Cheers,

Teri D

 

I have someone come on Tues and Thurs from 10 to 6. She cleans the house, does laundry, and helps me with the kids -- this means that sometimes I'm with the babies so she can clean, sometimes we are both with the babies so they can get one-on-one attention, and sometimes she will watch them so I can nap or get on the computer or get out and run errands.

I really like having her on Tues and Thurs b/c that means I don't do two days in a row by myself with the babies. Those days with help in between my (sometimes very long) Mon., Weds., and Fri. alone re-energize me to spend yet another day feeding, changing diapers, and sitting for hours playing on the floor. Plus, having someone who does the deep cleaning (bathrooms, floors, big kitchen stuff) and the laundry means I can forget about that stuff and nap with the girls on the days that I am alone.

I pay $15/hour which feels like a lot when I pay her at the end of each week, but it makes my life so much happier and makes my time with the babies so much better.

 

I think I need to start a day care out of my house, because they make more money than I do. I would love to be around kids all day, much better than being around the adults here in the office.