Creative Summer Childcare

Are you scrambling to get all your work done with kids at home this summer? Maybe you work part-time or work from home and never got around to arranging formal childcare. Or maybe you need time for kid-free errands and housework. There are still options to get your kids busy for hours each week, without breaking the bank. All you need is a community of friends and neighbors and the guts to ask for help!

Kid-Swap
No, we're not referring to the next reality TV show.

How it works: It's simple. You team up with a friend whose children are good playmates with your own. On one day each week, your children are with your friend and on another day, you have all the children.
Benefits: Not only does kid-swapping give you a free day each week, or more if you choose to swap two days a week, it is a great way to take the multi-tasking out of your week. On your "off-day" you need to get busy with your work or to-do list. On your "kids-day" it's all about kids and you can devote your energy to summer fun without worrying about checking email.
Remember: It's best to be fairly formal about drop-off and pick-up times and stick to them. If your friend goes to a job on her off-day and you use your time for errands, she may feel you are more flexible and begin to impose. Also, remember to fill each other in early about out-of-town vacations.

Playground Patrol
Many of us feel that we grew up in simpler times, when the kids could leave the house in the morning and return for dinner. These days, the playground is still a great place for young kids to congregate, but adults required!

How it works: This is best done as half-days. A small group of families agree to share playground patrol. The children meet at the playground but with a watchful adult keeping things safe. In return, each family gets several summer mornings for kid-free work. You can do this weekly, with each family taking a specific week day, or rotate the same day each week all summer.
Benefits: Your kids get to experience good-old-fashioned summer fun - outdoors and socializing with other children.
Remember: Start off with a couple hours of playtime so any issues can be ironed out before moving to half-days or longer. Choose the group carefully - age range, boy to girl ratio and interests can make or break a group dynamic.

Babysitting Co-op
This one is more formal, but the rewards pay off.

How it works: A group of families (10-20 is optimal) join the co-op and share in babysitting - "earning" points for sitting and "spending" points for using a sitter. Monthly meetings, a rotating leader/president, and a secretary who sends out sit requests and keeps track of sit points make this operation run smoothly.
Benefits: You no longer need to ponder over which of your friends to call for last-minute sits or whether you owe your friends or they owe you. You tell the secretary, and she handles it all.
Remember: The babysitting co-op only works if the families actively seek sits each month. Also, think about choosing families with a mix of daytime and evening sit needs.

--Live Simply

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