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WILMINGTON Robin Borrell has two small children and no family locally. Just going for a quick haircut was a trial, until she and her friend Samantha Sand, started talking one day.
They noticed that they were on a similar schedule of activities with their children and they often spent time afterward just talking while their kids played. Then it hit them: Why did they both need to watch the children?
They set up a baby-sitting swap. Now every Monday, one mom watches all the children while the other takes off for a few hours of alone time.
Everybody needs a break, said Borrell, whose daughter is 2 and son is in preschool. Its a great feeling to know you can make an appointment.
Every parent in the world would probably agree. Unless there is a full-time nanny in the picture, finding reliable help for a few hours can be frustrating and expensive, with baby sitters charging anywhere from $5 to $10 an hour. Finding another parent or parents to share the load is a great way to get a little peace for not a lot of money.
There are baby-sitting swaps, like Borrell and Sand share and baby-sitting <a href=http://www.onlinehermesoutlet.com/hermes-kelly-35cm/559-hermes-kelly-handbag-35cm-orange-silver.html>Hermes Kelly Handbag 35CM Orange Silver</a> parties, where families take turns watching a group of children once or twice a month while the other parents go out. There are even baby-sitting websites, on which people can sign in and meet others looking for the same thing a few hours of free time.
These swaps are usually pretty casual, with a basic understanding of watch my child today and Ill watch yours next time. This system is fine as long as everyone is happy and the system stays <a href=http://www.onlinehermesoutlet.com/hermes-kelly/621-hermes-kelly-tote-handbag-hot-sale.html>Hermes Kelly Tote Handbag Hot Sale</a> even. Sometimes, though, something a little <a href=http://www.onlinehermesoutlet.com/hermes-passport-holder/102-hermes-compact-passport-holder-pink.html>Hermes Compact Passport Holder Pink</a> more formal might be best.
Mary Hirschbiel fondly remembers her days as a member of a baby-sitting co-op in Wilmington. She was new to town with no friends or family when she started asking others about baby-sitting for her daughter. After a few weeks of being sized up and getting to know some of the other mothers in the neighborhood, she was invited to join the co-op.
Her group was very organized with 10 to 12 members at any given time. Their system was based on points. For every quarter hour a person watched a child, she earned a point.
( 2 of 2)Conversely, for every quarter hour someone else watched her child, she spent a point. A person earned double points if watching a child after midnight. Every member took turns being secretary of the co-op, keeping track of each persons points and helping to schedule the baby-sitting gigs for the members.
We always worked it out so no one got too far behind or ahead (in points), Hirschbiel said.
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Her advice is to be upfront and really think about it when starting a group. Its easier to make a rule in the beginning than to add it later after an incident. Know the different people in the group as well.
Its better to have four people you know really well than to have 15 you dont, she said.
Knowing an <a href=http://www.onlinehermesoutlet.com/hermes-kelly-22cm/134-hermes-kelly-bag-red.html>Hermes Kelly Bag Red</a> adult with a similarly aged child was watching hers was very reassuring, <a href=http://www.onlinehermesoutlet.com/hermes-passport-holder/101-hermes-compact-passport-holder-patent-leather-red.html>Hermes Compact Passport Holder Patent Leather Red</a> said Paulette de la Veaux, a member of the same co-op as Hirschbiel.
Amy Suardi is a Delaware-based mom who blogs on the site, frugal-mama.com. Shes been a member of and started baby-sitting co-ops. She also advises parents to set boundaries right away: Guns and biting animals should be locked up, parents must provide supplies for children being dropped off, no children with fevers allowed, etc. She even recommends limits on who can join and how many.
As Hirschbiel said, it was good for her. She was able to do adult things like volunteer, and it was good for her daughter who had regular playmates who became like family to her. |
