What is Co-op? Well, when I got to Vegas, the women in the ward asked me if I wanted to be in Co-op. Here's how it works: Everyone starts out with 30 tickets--half are 1 hour and half are 1/2 hour. Each day there are 2 different people signed up to baby-sit. one from 9-12, and 1 from 12-3. The person who is baby-sitting can decide how many she wants to baby-sit that day. You have the option to take your kids to her house for that time period. For every child you take over and for each hour that they are there, you give the babysitter a ticket. For example, if I took Drew to Shauna's house from 12-3, I would owe her 3 tickets. IF I took both my kids, i would owen her 6 tickets. And maybe i would only need her for 2 hours so then i would owe her 4. During this time frame, the babysitter feeds a good snack provided by her to the child so when mom comes to pick up, they don't have to go home and feed them.
This is true brilliance! Why did we not do this in Philly? No money needed, just equal trades. We have a 4 month calendar and there is someone everyday in the morning and afternoon. SO if you have a Dr.'s appt, or want to volunteer in your child's classroom, or maybe you want to go to the store --alone!!! OR maybe you just want some ME time and you go home and take a nap.--I've used it to clean my house before and i got it done sooo much faster! ANd if you're ever running out of tickets, you can just eamil everyone to see if someone doesn't want their shift because you need tickets! This really would have been a life saver in Philly! All those wic appointments and trips to the medicaid office--man this totally would have saved me!
9 comments:
Wow, that sounds like a great idea. I'll have to see if I can get something like that set up here.
Seriously--a great idea. Maybe in my NEW NEIGHBORHOOD I can set something like that up!
So...about the dog... Are you feeling the pressure? =)
Oh yeah. I've been jealous of the system in that ward for YEARS!
(By the way, have you met Julie yet?)
I use babysitting like CRAZY (and usually have to pay for it). I've heard about this Co-op babysitting from other friends on the west coast and would LOVE to implement it here. But I just don't have the clout to ratchet up the support here. But it IS brilliant. I only wish that I could make it happen here!
We've been doing a co-op for a couple of months - based on the same idea (I think it originally started in North Carolina!). I LOVE IT!
Holly, this sounds like a fantastic idea.... I have a few questions....
1. How many women are involved in this? How many would it take to make it work, I guess?
2. How often do you have to be the babysitter?
Just trying to wrap my brain around it all!
Sounds good to me! With so many kids it seems like your tickets would go really fast, though. I guess you'd just have to babysit a lot to make up for it?
Oh my holy brilliant! You lucky lady!
Women in Vegas really have the co-op thing down. I was in one when we lived in Vegas and absolutely loved it. Loved it so much that I have now set up one here in Jersey even though there are only 4 members. It still works brilliantly though! Love it!
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