https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 16 Apr 2026 18:38:08 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/your-village#post-2462902 Tue, 16 Feb 2016 10:25:18 +0000 snowjewelz 2462902@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My mom is my #1 villager, lol! Def my family, then DH's family, and we def have friends around too for emergencies. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/your-village#post-2462177 Mon, 15 Feb 2016 14:55:55 +0000 Rainbow Sprinkles 2462177@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Applesandbananas: I totally see what you meant. So I guess when it really comes down to people who I can call for help when we need it (like when DD was admitted to hospital and we needed someone to watch the younger girls), it's my mom and sister. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/your-village#post-2462170 Mon, 15 Feb 2016 14:47:13 +0000 JoJoGirl 2462170@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Applesandbananas: Yes i read it the way you do! Venting to a friend is much harder if I don't have a village who can watch my kid while said venting takes place :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/your-village#post-2462162 Mon, 15 Feb 2016 14:35:30 +0000 Applesandbananas 2462162@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Rainbow Sprinkles: that's true that those things are crucial as well, but I was kind of posing the question as people to help with kiddos and stuff :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/your-village#post-2462148 Mon, 15 Feb 2016 14:25:36 +0000 regberadaisy 2462148@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <br /> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/your-village#post-2462142 Mon, 15 Feb 2016 14:21:01 +0000 Rainbow Sprinkles 2462142@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't consider one's village to be the group of people they ask for help from, or the people who babysit or bail them out in a pinch or whatnot.</p> <p>To me, my village are the people in my life who support me no matter what, can relate to what I'm going through, encourage me and offer a listening ear, bring coffee on a rough morning, come over (or I go to them) just to be together and help the day go faster. The people who love my kids and know them and want what's best for them.</p> <p>I only have 2 people in my life who really babysit or "help" with the kids, but I consider my village much larger than just those 2 people. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/your-village#post-2461885 Mon, 15 Feb 2016 11:06:45 +0000 MrsBrewer 2461885@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are so blessed to have a huge village. Both my parents and DH's parents. I have a brother and sister who are local but are in college full time. DH's sister has 4 LO's of her own but would always be willing to help if needed. I also have 5 other friends that all have LO's J's age but are great and would help out as well! Plus a few other couples from our church! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/your-village#post-2461863 Mon, 15 Feb 2016 10:54:19 +0000 catgirl 2461863@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We really don't have one. Our parents all live 2.5 hours away, which wouldn't be too bad. but they all still work. None of them can just come down without a lot of planning. One of DH's step siblings lives 30 minutes from us with her husband and son but they are not the most reliable. We were planning on moving back to our home state so to be honest I wasn't trying that hard to build our village. We've now decided to stay here though so I know I need to make more of an effort to find our people. It will benefit all of us but it's hard to build a village from scratch. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/your-village#post-2461828 Mon, 15 Feb 2016 10:29:13 +0000 LuLu Mom 2461828@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have an amazing village, we very blessed. Both grandparents are close and very involved who love to babysit (I can honestly say I've only hired a babysitter 1 time in 3 1/2 years), my siblings are close so we get together frequently, and I have a very strong support system of friends who are also parents, where I can bounce stuff off of/ect.<br /> And we have a trusted in home daycare provider who I trust like family. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/your-village#post-2461827 Mon, 15 Feb 2016 10:28:48 +0000 2PeasinaPod 2461827@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our families. We're really lucky in that the furthest immediate family is only about 45 minutes away. My in laws are here watching the boys today while I'm working from home. They're both retired, so that helps a ton. </p> <p>I'm repairing a relationship with my mom, but my dad will be here in an instant if we needed him (45 min away) as would either of my brothers and SILs. We're all within 20 minutes of each other, all have kids, and can help each other out in a pinch, no problem. My BFF is also only about 30 minutes away, and we've helped each other in a pinch as well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/your-village#post-2461825 Mon, 15 Feb 2016 10:26:37 +0000 meredithNYC 2461825@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't have an extended family village in that we are in the Northeast, my family is in the Midwest and husband's family is in the UK. However, I can't say we don't have a village at all. I'm a SAHM, but we have a babysitter we trust for the occasional date night and we do have a strong network of friends. Most of those friends have small children themselves, so it's not like they babysit for me or anything, but there's A LOT to be said for emotional support. And if I needed one of those friends in a pinch they would certainly come through.</p> <p>ETA: sometimes I get in a "woe is me, I don't have ANYONE" phase of feeling sorry for myself. But when I really look at it more deeply, we do have people - even if it's not the traditional style of village. Sometimes it's easy to think this way and other times it's not. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/your-village#post-2461816 Mon, 15 Feb 2016 10:19:57 +0000 JoJoGirl 2461816@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No village at all. I think it's why having kids has put such a huge strain on our marriage :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/your-village#post-2461711 Mon, 15 Feb 2016 08:29:26 +0000 regberadaisy 2461711@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My inlaws and BIL &amp; his GF. But we only ask for help when we *really* need it. Like the girls are sick, and when it's been months since we've had a date night. :P </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/your-village#post-2461705 Mon, 15 Feb 2016 08:24:30 +0000 schubr03 2461705@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My parents and siblings live close by. So they are our village. Also, my grandma is still very active and helps babysit as a last resort. 😊 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/your-village#post-2461661 Mon, 15 Feb 2016 06:57:55 +0000 autumnleaves 2461661@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't think we have a village but I think we'll need to call someone to help when I to into labor with LO2. We'll see how that unfolds. I asked my friend who lives 30 min away to be on call but she has sick older parents and a LO too so I may need to call someone else. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/your-village#post-2461660 Mon, 15 Feb 2016 06:52:08 +0000 pastemoo 2461660@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Applesandbananas: my village is huge but somewhat less tight knit than I imagined it would be when we first moved here. The in laws are 2 hours away.<br /> Religious community, baby wearing community would help in a true emergency. School community helps in general in a lot more ways than I expected, they are the biggest part of my village. And a few friends made at random, who are wonderful.<br /> And I have my mama "birth club" group from HB when I need mental support--they rock.<br /> I am sad to see how many parents here have no village! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/your-village#post-2461639 Mon, 15 Feb 2016 03:11:41 +0000 gingerbebe 2461639@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Daycare. Our back up sitter. Two friends nearby who are like uncles to our son. We do have a few church families we could call on in case of emergency, but haven't had to yet. I work part time (well most of the time, right now it's more full time because work is slammed), DH works from home half the week, and my job is very family friendly and everyone has kids so they understand if I have to be out. We also contracted with a local nanny agency for back up nannies if our sitter falls through but we haven't had to use them yet. DH's family live in the Midwest and my family lives at least an hour flight away. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/your-village#post-2461619 Mon, 15 Feb 2016 00:33:31 +0000 Rainbow Sprinkles 2461619@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>3 close friends (who also have kids), my parents, my sister, my Bible study </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/your-village#post-2461326 Sun, 14 Feb 2016 13:58:05 +0000 Applesandbananas 2461326@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Greentea: us too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/your-village#post-2461319 Sun, 14 Feb 2016 13:19:19 +0000 Cherrybee 2461319@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Its just my inlaws, but they give us a lot of support so we are very lucky. My mum lives 5 mins drive away but she has declined to be part of our village. It can be hard because my inlaws have E three days per week, so we cant ask them to help at the weekends unless its an emergency. So, like, right now - we've got loads of work to do on our new house but everything is taking three times as long because someone always needs to be looking after E and someone needs to be doing household chores in the limited time we have when we are not at work. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/your-village#post-2461317 Sun, 14 Feb 2016 13:12:23 +0000 Andrea 2461317@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No village here. If I was really in a crunch, I would reach out to close friends, but I haven't needed to do that yet. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/your-village#post-2461316 Sun, 14 Feb 2016 13:12:00 +0000 catlady 2461316@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Definitely my dad and my MIL. To a lesser degree, my brother, SIL and her husband, and FIL. In a pinch, I could probably call on any of my 5 aunts or a large number of first and second cousins. We have a lot of family nearby and I am grateful for that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/your-village#post-2461310 Sun, 14 Feb 2016 13:00:03 +0000 Truth Bombs 2461310@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have a group of 5 families from day care that act as a big village. This weekend we organized a babysitting swap so each couple got to go out for a vday date without having to find/pay for a sitter. I wouldn't hesitate to ask any of them to take my kids for an emergency or just a break, and I'm thrilled to be able to do the same for them. We are lucky to have such awesome friends since our family is far away. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/your-village#post-2461308 Sun, 14 Feb 2016 12:52:44 +0000 Greentea 2461308@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No village! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/your-village#post-2461270 Sun, 14 Feb 2016 11:34:55 +0000 cat620 2461270@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My in-laws live close to us, so they will occasionally babysit, which is nice. And they will help us out in emergency situations. I have a lot of mom friends, but I don't ask them for help, since they have small kids of their own. But I love having them for emotional support, and we get together for regular playdates. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/your-village#post-2461267 Sun, 14 Feb 2016 11:27:25 +0000 Alba4 2461267@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our immediate family! My parents are just under an hour away and my in laws are @2 hours. Both grandmas watch DS weekly and everyone, siblings included, have stepped up to help out with my modified bedrest. I'm so so grateful for all the (free) help! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/your-village#post-2461247 Sun, 14 Feb 2016 10:49:34 +0000 petunia354 2461247@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My parents and my sister. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/your-village#post-2461229 Sun, 14 Feb 2016 10:10:04 +0000 Littlebit7 2461229@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We really don't have a village. More like one or two part time villagers. Family is a 7+ hour drive away (every single last one of them). Friends in our local community have babies of their own. I have one coworker friend who has helped out in a pinch which I am so thankful for. I just found a sitter (who is expensive) who has some flexible hours but needs notice. I have my one day a week sitter when I'm at work but she works ft for another family.<br /> Complicating matters further, DH is currently working out of the country for an undetermined amount of time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/your-village#post-2461228 Sun, 14 Feb 2016 10:07:12 +0000 OhCaptain 2461228@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have no family here. But I found an amazing moms group when my older lo was 4 months old. It was comprised 80% of women who moved here for their husbands jobs and we all had babies about the same age. Regardless of that, we all help each other out, in those times you need a village. Emergencies, doctors visits, date nights. Honestly, it's what got me through my older lo's first year. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/your-village#post-2461223 Sun, 14 Feb 2016 09:55:14 +0000 MamaBehr 2461223@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We had a village in the last two cities we have lived in, but have no one here (outside of one family). It's hard without that kind of help, but we manage..... </p>