https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 22 Jun 2026 21:09:46 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-swap-babysitting-with-your-friends#post-2464129 Wed, 17 Feb 2016 09:08:59 +0000 erinbaderin 2464129@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I thought we might - we used to offer to babysit for our friends fairly often when they had kids and we didn't and sort of assumed that once we had kids that would continue and we'd go back and forth. But they've never once offered to take B in the 2 years since he was born, which....yeah, annoys me.</p> <p>Our neighbours have a son a week older than B and they're best friends and every so often I offer to take him and let them have a break but they seem reluctant, they always say that it would be too much work for us (their son is really high energy).</p> <p>My parents aren't too far away (well, they're 3 hours away but they come down fairly often) so we don't really need a swap, it would just be nice to have somebody local. Maybe once B is a bit bigger. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-swap-babysitting-with-your-friends#post-2463520 Tue, 16 Feb 2016 16:40:39 +0000 Rocker2014 2463520@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm working on getting this set up with one of LO's best friends right now, so excited to see that it is working for some of you! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-swap-babysitting-with-your-friends#post-2463514 Tue, 16 Feb 2016 16:37:10 +0000 DillonLion 2463514@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not yet, but we have become friendly with some neighbors who said they are interested in babysitting-swapping, so I'm working to build that relationship so we can start doing that. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-swap-babysitting-with-your-friends#post-2463488 Tue, 16 Feb 2016 16:27:32 +0000 Mrs.KMM 2463488@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Definitely! The kids are 8.5 and 20.5 months and are finally able to kind of play together! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-swap-babysitting-with-your-friends#post-2462868 Tue, 16 Feb 2016 10:11:00 +0000 BKCaribBaby 2462868@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We haven't done it very much, but we should do it more. I think our reasons for now doing it have already been said: we don't want to burden other people; some of my friends have local family so there is no pressing need to have an exchange; and kids with differing schedules. Also we live in a big city and most of my friends don't have cars and don't live close by adding an extra layer of logistics to deal with. </p> <p>That said, we could probably do this more. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-swap-babysitting-with-your-friends#post-2462839 Tue, 16 Feb 2016 10:02:19 +0000 snowjewelz 2462839@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This past weekend the moms got together with the kids while the dads went to eat wings and drink beer and we planned on reversing that and getting our free time soon while the dads babysit! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-swap-babysitting-with-your-friends#post-2462628 Tue, 16 Feb 2016 07:21:56 +0000 ElbieKay 2462628@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My son is not quite two. I feel like this will be a more manageable strategy when he is more independent, like five. There are too many individual issues with other people's two-year-olds. I don't want to deal with diapers, naps, eating issues, safety issues and mess times two. That sounds horrible to be honest. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-swap-babysitting-with-your-friends#post-2462622 Tue, 16 Feb 2016 07:10:43 +0000 Greentea 2462622@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yeah, no. I'm already with LO all the time, so I definitely do not have the desire to watch anyone else's kid! :silly: Watching mine is enough for me! Maybe in theory. Like my theory is DH could do it :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-swap-babysitting-with-your-friends#post-2462617 Tue, 16 Feb 2016 06:56:55 +0000 lamariniere 2462617@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I like the idea, but we don't do it. The only family I would really consider swapping with already has a nanny, so they don't really need it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-swap-babysitting-with-your-friends#post-2462612 Tue, 16 Feb 2016 06:30:29 +0000 ShootingStar 2462612@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No, my friends near by with kids have family in the area and they can ha e free babysitting any time they want. Plus I think if be overwhelmed with too many kids! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-swap-babysitting-with-your-friends#post-2462608 Tue, 16 Feb 2016 06:13:21 +0000 Modern Daisy 2462608@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am working on setting this up right now! We've kind of done it for a few hours at a time but my focus is now on school vacations/closings so we don't all have to take full pto to cover these days. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-swap-babysitting-with-your-friends#post-2462601 Tue, 16 Feb 2016 04:35:42 +0000 Mrs. Bee 2462601@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>we did in new york! we swapped babysitting with three different families and even did sleepovers. it was great! one had kids the same age, one had one kid, and one had kids with a bigger age gap, but since the parents and kids were close it worked. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-swap-babysitting-with-your-friends#post-2462600 Tue, 16 Feb 2016 04:29:06 +0000 Nutella 2462600@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wish!! I guess I don't have enough close friends with babies the same age. But now we are closer to family I don't think we will really ever need to do this. Plus we don't go out that much - haha. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-swap-babysitting-with-your-friends#post-2462592 Tue, 16 Feb 2016 01:58:31 +0000 HLK208 2462592@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've watched my friends kids when they didn't have any options but I never planned out a swap until recently. One of my mom friends talked about doing a babysitting swap night once a month because neither of us get out often. Our kids are the same ago so it'll be like a play date for them! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-swap-babysitting-with-your-friends#post-2462590 Tue, 16 Feb 2016 01:24:30 +0000 sapphire 2462590@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We probably will when LO is older but at this age she goes to bed so early that it doesn't work well at this point. She spends the night with grandparents for date nights. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-swap-babysitting-with-your-friends#post-2462570 Tue, 16 Feb 2016 00:09:54 +0000 MoonMoon 2462570@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>In my case, I thought it would be great to swap babysitting with our local friends. We offered to watch their twins even before we had a baby! But I think it was a combination of they didn't trust us with their kids (? They always said oh we wouldn't do that to you or something about twins being a handful) and they have family staying with them quite often, so they don't need babysitters. Other friends who have kids in daycare just don't seem to need babysitters frequently because they want whatever family time they can get, I guess. I really wish some of my bffs with kids lived by me so we could help each other out, but ah well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-swap-babysitting-with-your-friends#post-2462342 Mon, 15 Feb 2016 17:20:34 +0000 Alba4 2462342@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No. We've talked about it but never have actually done it. We rarely go out and if we do we ask a family member to watch him. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-swap-babysitting-with-your-friends#post-2462316 Mon, 15 Feb 2016 16:54:45 +0000 looch 2462316@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would feel more comfortable doing it now that my son is older but he can be a bit unpredictable in terms of wanting to be with other people on the weekend...he has his own opinions now of who he wants to spend time with and I can see him flat out refusing when it was time for him to be dropped off. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-swap-babysitting-with-your-friends#post-2462249 Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:55:49 +0000 Truth Bombs 2462249@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Foodnerd81: oh yeah that's a pain! We all like in a ten minute radius of each other. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-swap-babysitting-with-your-friends#post-2462164 Mon, 15 Feb 2016 14:35:57 +0000 Foodnerd81 2462164@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Truth Bombs: we have other friends like that and t would be really easy- the kids all get along so well and entertain each other. But those friends live half an hour away and it wouldn't be nearly as convenient! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-swap-babysitting-with-your-friends#post-2462159 Mon, 15 Feb 2016 14:33:37 +0000 Applesandbananas 2462159@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not really, we don't live super close and there aren't really a ton of occasions we need babysitting. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-swap-babysitting-with-your-friends#post-2462155 Mon, 15 Feb 2016 14:28:26 +0000 Mrs. High Heels 2462155@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I always wondered that too, so my answer is yes! We often offer to babysit our friends' kids, esp those who don't have family around - I think if the kids are 2 and up it's totally doable. I actually enjoy having a house full of kids, and my kids have fun too because they have playmates! They need less from us too cuz they have their friends around. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-swap-babysitting-with-your-friends#post-2462152 Mon, 15 Feb 2016 14:26:39 +0000 Autumnmama79 2462152@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Truth Bombs: Yes and I think its genius! My BFF and I often swap for grocery shopping, nail appts or going to the gym. It works well for the other reasons mentioned above. Esp because its way easier for kids to entertain each other than for you to have to entertain them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-swap-babysitting-with-your-friends#post-2462147 Mon, 15 Feb 2016 14:25:02 +0000 Truth Bombs 2462147@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@aprild: we always do it when the dad is around so it's two adults to 4 kids, not just one. We are all working moms so we don't need help during week day hours. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-swap-babysitting-with-your-friends#post-2462144 Mon, 15 Feb 2016 14:22:18 +0000 Maysprout 2462144@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We moved last year so we had to meet all new people but we still do this a bit. Not for date nights but we'll trade occasionally for appointments or getting chores done, it's worked well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-swap-babysitting-with-your-friends#post-2462136 Mon, 15 Feb 2016 14:16:54 +0000 cat620 2462136@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No I don't. A lot of my friends have family that live nearby to help babysit, and the others hire someone. I think only in emergency situations do they ask another mom to help out. </p> <p>I understand your point about it being a fair trade, but I think people around me are too concerned with burdening someone else. A lot of us have 2 kids, so that would mean the other mom has to take care of four kids. This might be easier if the kids are older, but if they are toddlers and babies, that's a lot of work. Plus, the kids all have different routines and schedules. I think people prefer to have their kids watched in their own homes instead of someone elses. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-swap-babysitting-with-your-friends#post-2462135 Mon, 15 Feb 2016 14:15:22 +0000 Mae 2462135@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No. I feel like our kids are maybe a bit young? Like it is still hard to feed my daughter at 21 months. And she needs to be at her own house to sleep. So leaving her at anyone's house would still be hard for more than maybe 2 hours or so and that hardly seems worth it. When they are all older though I hope we will! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-swap-babysitting-with-your-friends#post-2462129 Mon, 15 Feb 2016 14:13:52 +0000 Truth Bombs 2462129@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Foodnerd81: we are lucky that all of our kids are in day care together so they play really well. I literally don't even have to pay attention to the older kids (all just turned three). Just count heads a few times and occasionally help some one wipe after a poop 😂 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-swap-babysitting-with-your-friends#post-2462126 Mon, 15 Feb 2016 14:12:29 +0000 Truth Bombs 2462126@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrsrain: we've all had second kids now and it's still manageable! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-swap-babysitting-with-your-friends#post-2462110 Mon, 15 Feb 2016 14:05:00 +0000 Mrs. Champagne 2462110@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No. Most of my friends have family here so they don't need help. </p> <p>My other two close friends who don't have family around: one uses a sitter and the other has 4 kids so I hardly need to add mine to her bunch. But she would gladly in an emergency. </p>