https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 30 May 2026 00:01:11 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/babysitter-for-3-kids#post-2387848 Mon, 14 Dec 2015 13:27:25 +0000 Mrs. Champagne 2387848@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have one kid and can't find a baby sitter! So hard with no family around. Maybe they are in the same boat. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/babysitter-for-3-kids#post-2387834 Mon, 14 Dec 2015 13:18:40 +0000 LindsayLou 2387834@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm one of three kids, and we had sitters pretty regularly. I also babysat for families with 3 as a teenager, and was a nanny who occasionally did date nights for a family of 3. It can get expensive, and I think it's important to trust that the sitter can handle the chaos, but it's certainly not impossible. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/babysitter-for-3-kids#post-2387824 Mon, 14 Dec 2015 13:09:11 +0000 Mrs.KMM 2387824@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Honestly, this really just sounds like an excuse to me.</p> <p>I grew up in a family with 3 kids and we had outside babysitters all the time! And my sister and I are also both babysat a time when we were in middle school and high school and frequently sat for families with 3 kids. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/babysitter-for-3-kids#post-2387649 Mon, 14 Dec 2015 11:17:02 +0000 PinkElephant 2387649@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks for all the different thoughts. I agree that it's probably more of a comfort thing (either being comfortable with a babysitter period or comfortable with the cost of a babysitter for 3) than a true "impossibility" (I'm speaking in general, not for this specific family). </p> <p>@Mamaof2: Haha maybe they just don't want to hang out with us! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/babysitter-for-3-kids#post-2387630 Mon, 14 Dec 2015 11:06:05 +0000 lamariniere 2387630@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think you just have to find the right sitter who will agree to do it at the right price. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/babysitter-for-3-kids#post-2387617 Mon, 14 Dec 2015 10:59:23 +0000 Ms maths 2387617@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just remembered that I used to babysit for three or more kids when I was a young teenager. It seemed reasonable to me at the time, but the kids could all talk. (I only babysat for an infant once or twice, but I remember the lack of communication being terrifying!)</p> <p>Maybe I am just trying to justify my own overprotectiveness :), but I think the age of your friend's kids certainly could be a factor. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/babysitter-for-3-kids#post-2387580 Mon, 14 Dec 2015 10:30:55 +0000 oliviaoblivia 2387580@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was one of three and we had babysitters.</p> <p>I babysat for a family of six when I was in high school. </p> <p>Maybe they just don't have anyone they trust. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/babysitter-for-3-kids#post-2387568 Mon, 14 Dec 2015 10:22:12 +0000 Ms maths 2387568@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We only have two kids, but we are still reluctant to hire a baby-sitter! I don't think our kids are wild or difficult, but the older is just barely 2 and easily gets into shenanigans; the younger is 9 months and mobile--so her fair share of shenanigans, too--and has a lot of stranger anxiety these days. We each watch them solo, but it's definitely takes concentration. Bedtime, in particular, takes advance planning since they normally go to sleep at the same time.</p> <p>I anticipate that we will be comfortable getting a babysitter during bedtime in the future, but not yet. (We have friends and relatives watch them sometimes, but they often have two adults around. And we get a paid babysitter for after bedtime.)</p> <p>My brother has 4 kids and they can't get a babysitter. But their kids are definitely a handful. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/babysitter-for-3-kids#post-2387561 Mon, 14 Dec 2015 10:13:00 +0000 rattles 2387561@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think babysitters charge more for 3+ kids, and maybe that's not in her budget? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/babysitter-for-3-kids#post-2387560 Mon, 14 Dec 2015 10:10:55 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2387560@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh yea, I also babysat for a family of four. Those kids were all close in age and CRAZY though. But their parents paid well and didn't care the house was a mess. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/babysitter-for-3-kids#post-2387558 Mon, 14 Dec 2015 10:09:19 +0000 BandDmommy 2387558@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I never thought about it. I can't see it being a huge deal. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/babysitter-for-3-kids#post-2387556 Mon, 14 Dec 2015 10:08:50 +0000 Astro Bee 2387556@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I used to babysit for a family of 3 as a teenager. They were my next door neighbours, and the youngest would always be in bed asleep when I arrived. The older two would go to bed less than an hour after I got there. It was NBD. I've babysat for single child households that were more trouble. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/babysitter-for-3-kids#post-2387551 Mon, 14 Dec 2015 10:08:09 +0000 Mamaof2 2387551@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't have 3 kids but I totally think this is just an excuse. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/babysitter-for-3-kids#post-2387550 Mon, 14 Dec 2015 10:06:10 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2387550@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I grew up in a family of 3 and we had baby sitters. My mom did trade with other families but it wasn't for all of us at once. I think baby sitters were ok with it though because we were spaced pretty far apart, so I would have been like 10 and my sister was 2 (with my brother between). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/babysitter-for-3-kids#post-2387541 Mon, 14 Dec 2015 10:03:10 +0000 PinkElephant 2387541@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just ran into a friend and mentioned we should meet with our husbands for an adults only dinner. She told me that is pretty much impossible for them, since they have three kids.</p> <p>We are casually TTC #3 and it hadn't even occurred to me that this could be an issue - I've thought about car seat placement and the logistics of getting around with 3 by myself, but never saw getting a sitter as a potential difficulty. I wonder if it is their preference rather than anything else! I sometimes swap childcare with friends, and in these situations we end up watching either three under four or four under four, and it's really NBD...but maybe a paid sitter wouldn't do it?</p> <p>If you have three kids, do you use non family sitters? </p>