https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 12 Apr 2026 12:12:24 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-have-a-mothers-helper-watch-the-kids-while-you-are-home#post-2637278 Sat, 15 Oct 2016 13:24:18 +0000 youboots 2637278@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have a 15-year-old family friend that comes over sometimes when I work in the evenings and DH is out of town. But I also have daycare two mornings a week . </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-have-a-mothers-helper-watch-the-kids-while-you-are-home#post-2637248 Sat, 15 Oct 2016 11:06:40 +0000 LindsayLou 2637248@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@tlcbaby: You're welcome! Two of the kiddos I watch are school age and one of them is an infant. When he needs to nurse, I just take him upstairs to mom. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-have-a-mothers-helper-watch-the-kids-while-you-are-home#post-2637229 Sat, 15 Oct 2016 09:29:20 +0000 tlcbaby 2637229@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LilSprinkles: I've thought about this, too. I would just have to find somewhere that would take them part time.</p> <p>@LindsayLou: That is encouraging--thanks!</p> <p>@KayKay: Thanks! I agree, if we lay out all the details ahead of time it should go smoother. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-have-a-mothers-helper-watch-the-kids-while-you-are-home#post-2637219 Sat, 15 Oct 2016 08:43:20 +0000 KayKay 2637219@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@tlcbaby: yeah, if they will/can stay upstairs, that would probably work. or if you have a yard/driveway they could always go play outside, do bubbles/chalk/whatever. i'd just make sure you clearly define the "rules" for the helper: where she should try to keep the boys, when/if it's ok for her or them to come get you/see you, how you want to approach meals &amp; snacks &amp; nursing (you come to them? them come at a certain time?), etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-have-a-mothers-helper-watch-the-kids-while-you-are-home#post-2637193 Sat, 15 Oct 2016 02:11:44 +0000 LindsayLou 2637193@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm on the other end of this, I am a nanny, bring my own toddler to work with me, and my nanny kids' mom works from home. Depending on your house layout, and as long as you find someone who is a good fit with your family and with you, it can be great. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-have-a-mothers-helper-watch-the-kids-while-you-are-home#post-2637184 Fri, 14 Oct 2016 23:57:40 +0000 LilSprinkles 2637184@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I didn't have someone come to our house, but once a week I would send DS to daycare. Basically, I had a "me day" and did what I pleased. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-have-a-mothers-helper-watch-the-kids-while-you-are-home#post-2637104 Fri, 14 Oct 2016 17:54:10 +0000 tlcbaby 2637104@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@KayKay: We have a baby gate on the entry to the office, but no door. It's an open floor plan so we would have to get some kind of special door, which we have discussed. The boys' rooms are upstairs, so maybe if they stayed upstairs except for snacks and when I need to nurse that would help? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-have-a-mothers-helper-watch-the-kids-while-you-are-home#post-2637101 Fri, 14 Oct 2016 17:52:18 +0000 tlcbaby 2637101@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Microscope: I am constantly picking up! I am much better than I was before having kids, but it's hard for me to relax with a mess all around me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-have-a-mothers-helper-watch-the-kids-while-you-are-home#post-2637100 Fri, 14 Oct 2016 17:51:29 +0000 tlcbaby 2637100@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Shantuck: Yeah, I was imagining someone college age or a little older? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-have-a-mothers-helper-watch-the-kids-while-you-are-home#post-2637099 Fri, 14 Oct 2016 17:50:39 +0000 tlcbaby 2637099@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Cole: I thought about this, too. We only live a few minutes from a coffee shop where I could go to work I guess. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-have-a-mothers-helper-watch-the-kids-while-you-are-home#post-2636996 Fri, 14 Oct 2016 14:17:03 +0000 KayKay 2636996@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I also assume that by "mothers helper" you mean someone who is younger, like a babysitter-in-training who you would pay less and not necessarily expect to be leaving alone. </p> <p>I think its success would depend a lot on the size/layout of your house, the skills of your helper, and the personalities/ages of your kids. I probably wouldn't use a sitter under 12, and I'd make sure to lay-out the ground rules of what you expect them to do/when they can get you. I'd also do a fair number of trial runs where you are just doing work that can reasonably interrupted vs trying to do, say, a conference call.</p> <p>It would also be helpful if you have a specific office/work area with a door that you can close &amp; lock to make yourself unavailable &amp; not in the kids' line of sight. </p> <p>My DD1 is 4.5, and would probably be fine with this, as she likes to take babysitters into the playroom and close the door to "play camping" or other imaginative games. She'd also better understand that mommy needs to work. I'd be more worried about my 2yo, honestly, since she understands too much but not enough...if that makes sense! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-have-a-mothers-helper-watch-the-kids-while-you-are-home#post-2636985 Fri, 14 Oct 2016 14:06:02 +0000 Mrs. Microscope 2636985@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I want to do this when I have my second. Not so much to even work from home, but so I can shower, prep dinner, clean up, etc. </p> <p>And work too. But my ocd won't let me work if my house is a disaster. :silly: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-have-a-mothers-helper-watch-the-kids-while-you-are-home#post-2636978 Fri, 14 Oct 2016 13:59:36 +0000 Shantuck 2636978@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When you use the term "mother's helper", does that mean you are looking for somebody on the younger side who presumably would charge less? We tried a neighbor girl who was in 3rd grade once with the thought that our 3.5 year old would have somebody to play with while we got some things done at home. Our trial wasn't very successful, though, because our son just wanted to be with us and the young girl didn't really have the savvy/understanding to know how to steer him away. The day ended with my making both of them lunch and I felt like I was watching 2 kids instead of one. I don't necessarily think everybody's experience would be like that but you would definitely need a mother's helper who was mature enough to understand that she is there to keep your kid occupied and that you are not to be bothered. I think if we had hired our regular 20-something babysitter to occupy our son while we were at home, it would have been an entirely different story (she just charges twice as much!). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-have-a-mothers-helper-watch-the-kids-while-you-are-home#post-2636966 Fri, 14 Oct 2016 13:44:58 +0000 Cole 2636966@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've tried and it's not easy but doable if the sitter is good and your flexible. I've been on the other side and done this as a nanny and I found that leaving the house for a little while really helped, frequently the kids wouldn't think to look for their mom when we can't back which helped. If you would be able to duck out between feedings to go to the library or coffee shop it might also help establish the time as "mommy's not available" a lot of the work will fall on you to be firm about your boundaries. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-have-a-mothers-helper-watch-the-kids-while-you-are-home#post-2636931 Fri, 14 Oct 2016 13:01:18 +0000 lamariniere 2636931@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I WAH and had a babysitter come 4-5 mornings a week for my DD between 4-13 months. I had them go out every day, otherwise my DD would have wanted to be with me (she was very clingy from early on). So they would go for walks with the stroller or to the park and I didn't mind if they did the babysitter's errands while out. Occasionally I would ask her to do errands for me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-have-a-mothers-helper-watch-the-kids-while-you-are-home#post-2636906 Fri, 14 Oct 2016 12:11:33 +0000 tlcbaby 2636906@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are considering having someone come over to care for our two LO's a couple days a week for a few hours so I can start working very part time. I can mostly work from home so I would most likely be in our office while they were here. I would also want to feed our newborn when he needed to nurse. </p> <p>Has anyone done this? I guess my main concern is my older son (3 1/2) would just be trying to hang out with me the whole time if he knew I was home. </p>