How to Organize a Babysitting Co-op
Create Your Own Network of Babysitters and Exchange Time, Not Money
Aug 6, 2008
Most families are feeling the pinch of the sluggish economy, especially at the gas pumps and grocery stores. Higher price tags for just about everything are making it necessary for many families to be very budget conscious. Entertainment expenses are the first to be cut when the economy is suffering. The much needed date night for couples is usually sacrificed as hiring a sitter for a few hours can add up quickly. Paying a babysitter, however, does not need to be another expense to worry about. Forming a babysitting co-op may be the solution for you.
What is a Babysitting Co-op
If you belong to a playgroup, church group, or live in a neighborhood with a lot of families, you probably already have enough of a network to create a babysitting co-op. Simply, a babysitting co-op is a group of moms or families who trade babysitting with one another. There is no cost because it is babysitting hours that are exchanged, not money.
How to Start a Babysitting Co-op
Hold an Informational Meeting. Send out a flyer or email to people you think might be interested in sharing child care and set a date for everyone to meet to discuss the details. You will need to determine the size, formality, structure and rules of the group that will work best for everyone.
Limit Membership. A co-op can be as few as 5 families or as many as 20. Find a maximum number you are comfortable with to participate in the group. Not having enough members might prevent you from having access to a sitter when you need one. Too many participants may make it difficult for you or your child to find a comfort level with potential sitters, which is necessary for a co-op to be a success.
Set Operating Rules. You will need to set some guidelines and rules so all members of the co-op know what to expect as a sitter or when using a sitter. You will also have to determine if the group will be available for daytime or evening sits, if the child will be dropped off at the sitter's house or the sitter will come to the child's home, and how to report hours.
Keep Records. Someone should be assigned the duty of keeping member information updated so sitters have access to it. Information could include
- emergency contact information
- children's names and ages
- special information such as if a child has allergies, or if the household has pets, a pool or firearms on the premise.
In addition, how time will be tallied needs to be determined. Some co-ops use paper money or a point system, while others earn or use credits for sitting based on the actual hours.
Communicate Regularly. A monthly social or playgroup including kids is essential so that everyone can become acquainted and raise the comfort level for everyone involved. A monthly get together also gives you the opportunity to share feedback on the group and make changes accordingly. An update on the hours can also be distributed. The idea is to request a sit from members that have the lower amount of hours and use a sitter if you have an abundance of hours.
Additional Ideas
Once a group is established, you may also want to implement a Parent's Night Out, where one or two families host a set number of kids at their home on a Saturday night for a set amount of time (i.e. 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm) while the parents go out. Hosts are rotated on a monthly basis so everyone can take advantage of it.
The success of a babysitting co-op is based on participation, so use it and be active. The more you ask other members to watch your children, the more they seem to reciprocate.
