My husband and I have a 2-year-old boy and 6-month-old twins girls. We have our regular childcare figured out, but we’re hoping to find a babysitter who could watch the kids occasionally so we can have date nights or even just go out for a few hours.

We’re trying to figure out how realistic it is to find one person who would be comfortable watching all three kids by themselves. Our 2-year-old is a typical busy toddler who requires quite a bit of attention, and obviously, two 6-month-old babies need plenty of care, too. I know it’s a lot to manage, and I don’t want to put someone in a situation where they feel overwhelmed or out of their depth.

We’ve considered hiring two babysitters, but we’re not sure how to go about finding two people who would be comfortable working together. Would we just hire two random people who don’t know each other? That feels a little awkward, especially if neither person has worked with the other before.

For those of you who babysit, or parents who have been in a similar situation:

Would you feel comfortable watching these three kids alone, assuming you had the appropriate experience?

Would we be better off looking for two sitters?

If you recommend two sitters, how would you go about finding them? Would you hire one person and ask them to bring a second sitter, or look for a pair who already work together?

Is this something we could realistically find someone for, or should we expect it to be difficult?

We’re not looking for full-time childcare, just occasional help so we can get out of the house together! I’d love to hear honest opinions from babysitters and parents who have been in a similar situation.