SAHM's to 3+ kids - If you could hire help for one thing.....

[4Marmalade]

what would it be?

I have 4 dc's. 7 years old, 4.5 years old and 20 month old twins. I am a fulltime SAHM and dh is gone about 10 hours/day, home on weekends.

Right now I am barely accomplishing all that needs to get done and sometimes feeling overwhelmed. I feel like I want to be able to get some form of "help" for something just to feel a little bit more relaxed. I just don't know what that should be. Last summer we hired a neighbour girl to come over and play with the two older dc's (meaning get them outside). But she is fairly young (13 now) and I did have to do a lot of intervening because ds1 is quite the handful. I've thought about having her come over to help with the youngest ones but I know ds1 would have a big problem leaving her alone so I doubt we'll do that.

I've thought about someone to help clean the house but not sure. Maybe just the really big stuff (bathrooms, mopping, vacumning) so I can still handle the day to day stuff.

What other ways can I get some regular help?

[iowaorganic]

I have had 12-13 yos come to play with mine- best $4/hr ever! I have also paid a real sitter so I could take a nap or do bookwork. Hmmm- deep cleaning when I have had extra money- I take the kids to the park and for ice cream and we come home to a sparkly clean house!

[broodymama]

Originally Posted by 4Marmalade

I've thought about someone to help clean the house but not sure. Maybe just the really big stuff (bathrooms, mopping, vacumning) so I can still handle the day to day stuff.

For me, this would be the biggest help. I wish I could work this into our budget!

[sanguine_speed]

I'd hire child care help so I could go out for an afternoon on my own.

[Thystle]

Absolutely a "mothers helper".

[~*max*~]

My kids are 3, 6, 8 & 10, and without a doubt I would hire someone to help me clean the house. I am always cleaning, and it never seems clean enough to me. I would love to have someone come in weekly & do the big stuff, while I maintained the daily chores during the week. There is so much more I'd like to do w/my time than cleaning!!!

[berry987]

I have three sons (5, 3 and 1) and I would choose a housecleaner! I am kind of neat-nick so our house is usually tidy, but I so rarely get the energy or time to deep clean. Taking "scrub showers", etc. off my to-do list permanently would be such a relief!

[akwifeandmomma]

A housekeeper!!!

[Peony]

I have 3 and for me it is essential to have someone come in and clean. I am a bit of a neat freak and can not tolerate a dirty house. She comes in weekly or every other week depending on her schedule (this last one is a college student and our current baby sitter as well so when we have a dedicated house cleaner, they usually come in weekly). I still vacuum every other day and mop at least once a week between when she comes but because she does all the deep cleaning, I don't have to worry about the tub, toilets, stove, etc... which saves me A LOT of time.

[Reebekah]

i have three children, 4 and under...i would LOVE to have help with cleaning!! my standards have become really low, and i can't even keep up with the bare minimum!

[4Marmalade]

I'm leaning towards the cleaning I think. The only problem is that I really want someone to do the deep cleaning (bathrooms, stove, floors, etc...) but I'm not sure how helpful it will be. Quite honestly, it may help me mentally more than anything else because I rarely get time to do these chores as often as I would like (or at least as well as I would like). So, it would not really be saving me any time, but I think having the house cleaner would make me feel better.

[becoming]

I have three, and I would absolutely hire someone to do my deep cleaning once a week -- showers, bathtubs, all surfaces of the toilets, mopping, cleaning the fridge top to bottom, cleaning the microwave, etc. All the yucky stuff I hate doing.

[Joyster]

I don't have 3 yet, but I'm thinking of a mother's helper. I don't mind the cleaning, and after hanging out with the kids all day, if I can quietly do it on my own and have some time to think to myself, it's actually pretty nice. Likewise with fixing the meals. Also, the extra benefit for me is being able to duck out and grab something from the grocery store.

Really though, what I'd like is the position that my mom fills when she is here. She does everything as needed. So if I'm with the kids, she'll pick up some laundry or if I'm cooking, she'll entertain the kids. I'm spoiled. *G*

[jeteaa]

pay a person who can cook to cook us dinner and clean the kitchen a few nights/week. I am so worn out by 5 pm, that if I make a home made dinner, its nothing special.

[Drummer's Wife]

a tie between cleaning lady and mother's helper.

[annethcz]

When my kids were younger and I was home 24/7 with four little ones, I chose to spend money on eating out, ordering out, or convenience foods. That was what seemed to help me the most. Cleaning wasn't as big of a deal as making sure everyone was fed and happy.

[htcamommy]

specifically I'd hire someone to do my laundry from start to finish. I can get it in the washer, i may get it in the dryer before it starts to mildew, I'll probably put it in a basket and once in a great moon I get it folded but only on very rare occasions does all my laundry get washed, dried, folded and PUT AWAY. If I could hire someone just to keep up with that I think I can handle everything else.

[kittywitty]

Someone to help clean!

[mntnmom]

A wonderful lady comes to clean my house every other week. Whatever needs to be done. Cleaning the fridge, the windows. Some days she does my dishes. It is so nice to know that "the cavalry is coming!".
Next year I might hire an older homeschooled kid for a few hours a week so I can do college classes. but we'll see.

[pauletoy]

Without a doubt, a housekeeper!