twins: it's been asked before-here are 2 questions again
Hi all,
I am 17 1/2 weeks pg with twins. I wish all of you MoM happy & healthy pregnancies, and to those who have the multiples-you are an inspiration!
Question 1: In Home Childcare
Depending on my job (I'm a teacher) and parent/relative help, I may have most of the days of the week covered when I go back to work. I am looking to pay someone (a relative) for 2 days a week either in my home or hers to take care of the babies. I have no idea how much per hour or per day to pay...just wanted to get some ideas. I live in NJ. I want to be reasonable in pay.
Question 2: Strollers
I am going to register for the double snap and go and use with the graco car seats. I have tried to research in stores various double strollers, but most stores have such a small selection. My husband and I are active, and plan to be out and about with the kids, so I am leaning more towards a jogging/big wheel stroller. I do not plan on taking my kids cross-country running. I will go for a jog in the park, go to the mall, boardwalk, etc. Do I sound like a jersey girl?
1-I really like the Bumble Ride for 2, but how heavy is it really?
2-Anyone have any experience with the double bob? I can't find one in the store....
3-Someone recommended mountain buggy? Any pros/cons?
4-I tried the Summit 360 double 10 out in the store yesterday. I loved how easy it moved. I am a klutz. As I went to fold it (you just pull the handles) I hit myself in the knees and belly with the stroller. This won't work. It was funny-the salesmen was saying how easy it was and I was thinking-but you don't know me!
Does anyone have any other recommendations? I am unsure if the citi mini will hold up for what I need it for.
Thanks and good luck to all.
Maggie
Re: twins: it's been asked before-here are 2 questions again
Can't really help with in-home childcare as I haven't gotten there yet, but I'm in NJ too. So far I'm seeing $15 - $20 an hour, but the higher amounts tend to be for those licensed and insured. If it's a relative I'd say somewhere between $12 and 15 an hour is a decent ballpark.
If you want to check out a Bob's stroller, head to a running store. I got one and LOVE it, can't wait to use it. It came highly recommended by friends who have it. I love the fact that the front wheel swivels (for strolling or mall trips) or locks to a fixed position (for jogging). It's very sturdy, has good shock absorbancy, fits through doors. It's also easy to collapse and open back up. Love love love it.
where in NJ are you? I"m in Morris COunty and can rec some stores that have a nice selection of upper end strollers you can try out.
all double strollers are heavy - really - there's no getting around it if you want an all-terrain stroller... so i'd worry more about the function of it vs. the weight.
Baby Jogger strollers have an amazing fold - so easy... the Classic and elite are all-terrain strollers you might like. The City Mini is a small-wheeled stroller, great for indoors. I have the BJ City Select, which is their new tandem and it's AWESOME - it does a ton of stuff... in a nice small footprint of a single stroller - i'm in love with it. If you want a tandem- you might want to check it out.
My boys go to a daycare center - it's about $1200/month for full time daycare for an infant in this area --- so you could do the math and figure that out daily --- I do know one in-home place here charges about $9/hour.
I agree! I too have this stroller- I have yet to use it on a daily basis, but have heard great reviews and trying it in a store was WOW! I'm not a runner, but choose to go with this one as I was very impressed with it. We're currently using the DSNG
I need to up my rates! I get $2.50 per child per hour in my home day care! Granted it is in NH not NJ but still looking at what others are paying I think I am going to do some research!
We have a double Baby Trend jogger for 2 of them and a Jeep umbrella for the other two and I definately like the jogger better even though we have only used them a few times because normally we are using the snap and go's still.
Hi everyone,
Thanks for your posts. I am defin. saving this info.
Gail-I live in the West Essex area and would love some recommendations for places to go try out the strollers in Morris. Hopefully I won't get hurt this time. By the way, your boys are adorable!
Whoa, wait. You're watching other kids PLUS your infant quads?!
I'm in awe.
I know your area well - i work in Livingston/West Orange/summit/millburn areas and used to live in Bloomfield.
The Birth Boutique in Denville is great- Sheri gives GREAT demos of strollers and really doesn't push you to buy one type or another... Suki in Millburn has nice high end strollers, too - but the 2 times I have gone in there he has done nothing but push Bob strollers on me --- which is OK if you WANT a Bob- but I clearly didn't and he kept going on and on about it!
I went there to see if he had the City Select Tandem - and he tried to sell me a Bob, even after I told him I had a Valco Trimode Twin (which is essentially the same type of stroller as the bob).... it annoyed the crap out of me - so i'd go to the Birth Boutique first... Suki might have a few that the BB doesn't have - but for the most part the BB carries almost all top end brands. They are a hard sell type of place - but not annoying - they just keep offering things like nursing classes, cloth diapering classes, etc- I always go there prepared to say "no thanks" and it's fine
lol
I don't think you're far from Millburn, so check out the Sneaker Factory to try Bobs strollers. I got mine from their Basking Ridge store, they're wonderful.
https://sneakerfactory.com/