Babysitting Co-ops: The Modern Extended Family

In a society where extended family is often a plane ride away, free childcare sounds like a fantasy on par with winning the lottery. But many cities now have babysitting cooperatives that offer families a community-oriented way to get a night out without spending an arm and a leg. The concept is simple: you go out one night and leave your kids with a neighbour; then you return the favour. You keep track of how much babysitting time you owe or are owed by a simple point system (such as earning two points per hour per child).

Many co-ops have monthly socials, so prospective families can get to know the people they'd be leaving their children with. Not only does this system save participants upwards of 12 dollars an hour, but it creates a sense of familial closeness amongst neighbors. Kids make new friends and parents have numerous friends to turn to for support.

A Brooklyn blogger described her experience with babysitting co-ops this way: “Our child now has parents in the neighbourhood–not just babysitters. So he sees adults as friends.” 

If you don't yet have a babysitting co-op in your neighbourhood, here's a simple (US) guide for starting one. 

Photo: New York Times