https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 02 May 2026 02:50:31 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-not-have-family-help-out-with-childcare/page/2#post-2619652 Sun, 11 Sep 2016 17:01:32 +0000 matador84 2619652@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have a 4 year old and 2 year old have not had any help since having kids. Recently, one of my parents moved to town and it has been absolutely AMAZING to have someone to call to have help! Like completely life changing!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-not-have-family-help-out-with-childcare/page/2#post-2619608 Sun, 11 Sep 2016 13:05:06 +0000 looch 2619608@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had no help the first two years of my son's life...my inlaws were about an hour away by car, but my mother in law doesn't drive and both inlaws still work. I did have a bit of a break when I would go over to their home for the weekend (my husband would come Friday night or Saturday morning, depending on his workload) but it's not being in your own house. We had a very part time nanny, four hours a week, beginning from when my son was about 4 months old. Other than that, I was majorly on my own and I struggled. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-not-have-family-help-out-with-childcare/page/2#post-2619410 Sat, 10 Sep 2016 18:57:29 +0000 erinbaderin 2619410@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not on a regular basis. My parents are 3.5 hours away and while they will and have drop everything and come in an emergency I try not to ask them. Sometimes they'll come for a visit and we'll take the opportunity to leave the kids with them and go to a movie. And my in-laws live in England. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-not-have-family-help-out-with-childcare/page/2#post-2619364 Sat, 10 Sep 2016 16:31:37 +0000 mrsrain 2619364@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MenagerieMama: same here. We are, at best, 10 hours of air travel from family. 🙁 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-not-have-family-help-out-with-childcare/page/2#post-2619363 Sat, 10 Sep 2016 16:27:54 +0000 MenagerieMama 2619363@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No help. All family is across the country (and takes 2 flights) so we're on our own. We just some help when they visit though, but it's not often. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-not-have-family-help-out-with-childcare/page/2#post-2619356 Sat, 10 Sep 2016 16:14:31 +0000 Megatherium 2619356@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>All grandparents live far away, but when we visit my mom she is happy to look after him. She watched him for a week this summer while we during AND he had an ear infection. My sister is also pretty great at watching him. </p> <p>I don't know if my in-laws are those kind of grandparents and I wouldn't feel comfortable asking. </p> <p>My mom is a nurse and we are super close. I trust her more than anyone. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-not-have-family-help-out-with-childcare#post-2619330 Sat, 10 Sep 2016 14:33:57 +0000 sapphire 2619330@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have help for babysitting but not for regular care while we work. Our families aren't interested in that which is fine with us. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-not-have-family-help-out-with-childcare#post-2619322 Sat, 10 Sep 2016 13:43:47 +0000 MrsSCB 2619322@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Nope, too far away. If we lived close, I doubt my parents would provide day to day care, but I would love to be able to go on more date nights. We fit one in before they left after he was born and it was really nice. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-not-have-family-help-out-with-childcare#post-2619311 Sat, 10 Sep 2016 13:18:15 +0000 tofuwad 2619311@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>All our family members are at least 2 hours away. I'm not sure what's going to happen if we have a second and I go into labor! When we visit family my brother's wife will babysit. My MiL can but I feel bad asking her to because she's very busy (works pt) and is helping out a lot with her other grandkids (my SIL has four under five with infant twins). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-not-have-family-help-out-with-childcare#post-2619286 Sat, 10 Sep 2016 10:59:38 +0000 MrsADS 2619286@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have no family locally. My mom and stepdad come visit about every 2 months (they are a 14 hour drive or 2 hour flight away). When they are here, they help with childcare and are really wonderful. My ILs we see maybe twice a year (they live really far away) and when we are together, they don't do childcare and nor would I want them to. They would let him cry and feed him stuff he's allergic to. </p> <p>It's hard. I really, really wish we had family locally to help. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-not-have-family-help-out-with-childcare#post-2619270 Sat, 10 Sep 2016 09:33:54 +0000 Anya 2619270@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just weekend babysitting a couple times a year. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-not-have-family-help-out-with-childcare#post-2619269 Sat, 10 Sep 2016 09:31:38 +0000 catlady 2619269@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>They will on weekends, for limited amounts of time. They seem to have an easier time with it now that LO's older and more independent. We still use daycare for day-to-day and a babysitter for date nights though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-not-have-family-help-out-with-childcare#post-2619241 Sat, 10 Sep 2016 08:28:07 +0000 Trailmix 2619241@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Only the occasional weekend. We live almost 3 hours drive from my parents and a plane ride from MIL so it's not surprising. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-not-have-family-help-out-with-childcare#post-2619230 Sat, 10 Sep 2016 07:46:02 +0000 psw27 2619230@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No, but they will fly in to watch LO if we go away for a weekend or trip! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-not-have-family-help-out-with-childcare#post-2619223 Sat, 10 Sep 2016 07:34:32 +0000 Andrea 2619223@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our parents live too far away, but I don't think they would want to be our child care even if they lived closer. They visit once a year and will watch the kids so we can have a date night though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-not-have-family-help-out-with-childcare#post-2619222 Sat, 10 Sep 2016 07:33:43 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2619222@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We don't have grandparents as primary care providers. That was the plan with my mom had we not moved, but she lied about not smoking so that would have been short lived anyway. :shocked: My dad babysat for us one evening and he's up for that sort of thing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-not-have-family-help-out-with-childcare#post-2619212 Sat, 10 Sep 2016 05:51:02 +0000 rachiecakes 2619212@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Nope. Our parents aren't 'kid people'. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-not-have-family-help-out-with-childcare#post-2619186 Sat, 10 Sep 2016 00:01:24 +0000 lamariniere 2619186@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mediagirl: this is us too. We lived with my ILs for 9 months once but other than that we've always lived far from everyone. When they visit or we visit them we take advantage and go on date nights or even go away a few nights. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-not-have-family-help-out-with-childcare#post-2619147 Fri, 09 Sep 2016 21:44:22 +0000 peaches1038 2619147@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have no family at all anywhere near us. When they visit, they love to babysit so DH and I can go on a date- so maybe four dates a year :happy: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-not-have-family-help-out-with-childcare#post-2619132 Fri, 09 Sep 2016 21:20:57 +0000 peachykeen 2619132@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wish! In-laws are 4.5 hours away and FIL is not in good health. My dad lives 17+ hour drive or 2 flights away and my mom passed away when LO was 7 months old. My sister is our closest family and she does watch LO for a few hours every now and then, but nothing we can count on regularly since she's so far and works during the week. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-not-have-family-help-out-with-childcare#post-2619124 Fri, 09 Sep 2016 21:02:58 +0000 nana87 2619124@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not for day to day child care, but my parents and mil will babysit occasionally for date nights or sometimes during the day if our center is closed for a break or something like that </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-not-have-family-help-out-with-childcare#post-2619123 Fri, 09 Sep 2016 20:59:36 +0000 Iced Tea 2619123@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Nope. My parents aren't living, and my in laws live on another continent. My sisters are too busy and live over an hour away. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-not-have-family-help-out-with-childcare#post-2619120 Fri, 09 Sep 2016 20:45:35 +0000 SweetCaroline 2619120@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not regularly. My parents are two hours away and my mom can come for a day if DD has a fever and can't go to daycare. My in-laws are 15 minutes away and already overburdened with child care taking care my my niece and nephew. DD goes to daycare center full time and we have a paid babysitter for date nights. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-not-have-family-help-out-with-childcare#post-2619114 Fri, 09 Sep 2016 20:35:09 +0000 twodoghouse 2619114@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My parents live across the country. The in-laws live 45 min away, so every few months they watch the kids for a date night/afternoon. They'd probably do it more often, but I'm not really interested in dealing with it more frequently. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-not-have-family-help-out-with-childcare#post-2619080 Fri, 09 Sep 2016 20:07:03 +0000 hellobeeboston 2619080@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No regular help here! My in laws can help on sick days occasionally. And we will ask my parents when we go on vacation. But they live 1.5 and 3.5 hours away, so not close enough to help more. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-not-have-family-help-out-with-childcare#post-2619077 Fri, 09 Sep 2016 20:05:55 +0000 Truth Bombs 2619077@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Both sets are a plane ride away. My parents are awesome and help as much as possible for being far. When our second was born my dad came for 3 weeks to help. This fall he's coming for a week, he'll cook for us, handle day care pick up and drop off, babysit while we have a date night, get some projects done around the house while we are at work and the kids are at school, etc. and be here to help while my son gets ear tubes. My in laws probably wish we would let them help more when they visit but there are a number of reasons I'm not comfortable leaving my kids with them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-not-have-family-help-out-with-childcare#post-2619074 Fri, 09 Sep 2016 20:02:16 +0000 PixieStix 2619074@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No help here. Period. We live away from all our family on both sides, so we only get help when we visit either side of the family for holidays. Even then it's usually little stuff, like hey, can you make sure my kid doesn't hurt himself whilst I shower? Lol </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-not-have-family-help-out-with-childcare#post-2619062 Fri, 09 Sep 2016 19:57:24 +0000 travellingbee 2619062@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not for regular child care. My parents live 40idh minutes away so that isn't practical and they are still pretty busy. But they do babysit occasionally. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-not-have-family-help-out-with-childcare#post-2619052 Fri, 09 Sep 2016 19:52:35 +0000 alphagam84 2619052@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My sister lives nearby and has helped out a ton! She's babysat for a few hours, watched DD overnight once, and has kept me company when DH has had to go out of town on business. It's been great! My IL's are nearby and would help as well but I don't trust my MIL so we don't let them babysit. My parents live 8 hours away but they normally babysit at least once when we see them so we can have a date night. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-not-have-family-help-out-with-childcare#post-2619037 Fri, 09 Sep 2016 19:40:11 +0000 californiadreams 2619037@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>nope we don't live near family. My mom visits every few months and she will babysit so we can have a date night or i can go out to get my haircut or something. she also stayed with me for a month when each baby was born. And she came down and took care of DS1 between nannies for 2 months a couple of years ago. So i have been fortunate in those instances, but we don't have family child care on a regular basis. </p>