Happy Fall, Ya’ll! Hope everyone is looking forward to some kind of pumpkin patch/harvest festival/leaf pile fun!
This month, we began the magical world of the BABYSITTING CO-OP and I wanted to share my experience with you!!
I had been told by so many of my “tribe” that I needed to start finding more “me-time”. I didn’t really know how to manage that without much family in the area and still learning how to speak up and ask for help. Around the same time, I got an e-mail from Beth F. on the MSMAC yahoo loop about starting a babysitting co-op. I thought that this could be what I was looking for!
Beth is amazing! She whipped up a schedule and a plan for us. It took a few back-and-forths to find a day of the week and time that worked for everyone, eventually settling on Fridays at 9:30 am. What better way to end the busy week of moming than a few hours to decompress??
Then the first co-op morning was here! I was nervous. I hadn’t left my guy (now 17 months) with too many people yet. I packed up his snacks, diapers, and a list of things he likes in case he is in code-red meltdown mode. I just didn’t know if he (read: ME) was ready yet! We went up to Angela M’s and he instantly sat down and started playing with the loads of new toys. Luckily, Heather C. dropped off her girls at the same time, handed her stuff to Barb H. (co-host) and said “See ya!” and jetted out the door to have breakfast with her Hubby. Now there is no excuse for me to hang around to make sure he was going to be okay. So I followed suit, and walked out the door while he was entertained, checking to make sure the volume on my phone was as high as it would go.
Once in the hallway, I realized I had worried so much about G that I hadn’t even planned what I was going to do with my 2 hours of “me-time”! I thought about this article. I didn’t want to waste my kid-free time doing things that didn’t make me feel refreshed and re-energized. So I ran. I’m not typically a runner, but man, did it feel good! (until the next morning, ouch!) Then I went to Starbucks (to feed my addiction), but this time I went INSIDE! The baristas that identify me and my car as a unit in the drive-thru; they barely even recognized me! Then I took my coffee and sat on the patio and read. Yeah, like a book! (This book – amazing!) It didn’t feel like long, but it was enough. So I headed back to pick up little mister. He had that “Hey mom! I didn’t realize I missed you until right now, but I really missed you!” face on. And guess what! He didn’t cry the whole time, he didn’t fall and break his neck, he didn’t get sick, he didn’t destroy her nice things, he didn’t run away. He was just fine. And so was I.
The way the co-op works, sometimes you’re the drop-off mom, and sometimes you’re the host (or co-host) mom. This week, I just had my first hosting at my house. At first, I thought, “What if I don’t have enough toys for the older kids?”, “What if they get bored?”, “What if a baby doesn’t have enough to eat?”, “How will I know if someone needs to use the potty?”, “Is my house clean enough?” Surprise, surprise! It went awesome! My co-host, Heather C., and I rocked it! No one got bored, no accidents, everyone ate, barely any tears, and no one noticed my clutter piles (or at least they didn’t say anything).
I am excited for next week when I am a drop-off mom again. This time, I will think more about how to use my me-time for ME. Maybe I will bring a canvas and paints, Maybe I will read under a tree, Maybe I’ll get a pedicure. The options are endless!
So Babysitting Co-ops? HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! Here is a little more about it works. We have 5 moms (6 kids). We picked a day and 2-hour time that stay constant every week. (We picked morning, but evening could be a great “date-night” plan, too) Every week, one mom hosts at her house, another mom “co-hosts” with her. Three moms get to drop-off. Every mom is responsible for their own child’s snacks, drinks, diapers, etc.
Interested yet? If you want to know more, or think you want to start one and need some help, let me or Beth F. know. We’d love to see some more co-ops in the works so we can continue to support each other to be the best MOMS we can. It’s 2 hours of free child care with moms you can trust! And sometimes, we care so much for the little people that we forget to take care of ourselves too.
We have some exciting things in the works for MSMAC, so stay tuned! Have a wonderful weekend, mamas! Be Safe!
-Sara H. =)
