How to Start a Babysitting Group
Need a night out? Has "date night" become a thing of the past? If so, don't dismay; there is a solution that doesn't have to cost a thing and will still provide you with quality care for your children. Finding decent childcare at a reasonable price has forced many couples to sacrifice much needed alone time. After paying for a movie and dinner, forking over another $40 for the babysitter can leave most parents discouraged. Date night doesn't have to be a dream. Try organizing a baby sitter's club. Baby sitting co-ops are a budget-friendly option to the "how will we afford a sitter" dilemma.
How to Set Up a Baby Sitter's Club
The initial process of forming a babysitting co-op will involve finding a group of compatible parents who are willing to join. Start with your local neighborhoods, mother's groups, PTA members or church friends for participants. Make sure that the potential members are all on the same page and that everyone feels comfortable leaving their children with each other. It's also important that the kids close in age and tend to generally get along with each other. Make sure that you are aware of "baby sitter credentials" before you approach someone about joining the co-op. Limit how many active members can join at a time. It might be wise to keep the group in a small proximity to reduce commute time and added stress.
How a Baby Sitter's Club Works
Most baby sitting cooperatives run on a point system. Points are earned through taking on babysitting jobs with other families. Points are used when you need a sitter for your own family. Decide on how points will be earned and deducted. The co-op will need a leader who will be willing to update records, set up meetings via e-mail and take charge of the initial start-up phase. Because the leader does extra work, consider awarding this position extra points and rotating it annually.Once a babysitting group has been formed, the method of operation and rules need to be established.
Topics to Discuss in Your Baby Sitter's Club Meeting
- How to keep a record of babysitting
- Debit and credit of babysitting hours
- Schedule of available times for each person including blackout dates
- How to earn more babysitting time for your family
- Dealing with the trading of hours among families
Generally, a baby sitting club consisting of 7-10 families is ideal. Ensure that all members are willing to use the co-op and not abuse the service. Set aside some time with each of the parents to discuss and decide on rules and ideas for a successful baby sitter's club. A quarterly meeting to examine new ideas or re-vamp previous rules would be helpful to maintain the success of the co-op.
Additional Ideas for Baby Sitters
In addition to parents forming a babysitting co-op, another solution might be starting a local baby sitters clubwith youth ages 12-15 in the community. The club works similar to the parenting co-op, but instead of swapping babysitting, the parents swap items or services with the youth in the club. Some parents have traded photography, clothing, homemade jewelry, salon services and gift cards for babysitting.With life moving at break-neck speed, take the time to slow down and enjoy a minute for yourself, a date with your loved one, or just running errands without the kids. A Babysitting cooperative is an inexpensive way to having your proverbial cake, and eat it too!
