Consider a Babysitting Cooperative
December 2006
by Lee Eisman
eastbaymom@aol.com
www.eastbaymoms.com
Many new parents express frustration about not having the ability to get out occasionally without their children. Babysitters can be very expensive and it’s hard to trust someone you hardly know with your child.
Joining or starting a babysitting cooperative (co-op) may be an ideal solution. A co-op consists of a group of parents who exchange babysitting services, making their own rules to fit the needs of the parents involved. Most co-ops service a small geographic area so that parents don’t have to travel far for babysitting. Babysitting usually takes place in members’ homes and no money is exchanged. Co-ops do not require that members agree to all babysitting requests; individual members do not have to sit when it is inconvenient for them or watch children that they don’t feel comfortable with.
Cooperatives typically have between 20-35 member families and some have been in operation for many years. In some cases the ages of the members’ children fall within a limited range; other co-ops accept children of all ages.
The members usually meet monthly or quarterly to address any concerns and introduce new members. A co-op usually has a secretary and/or president; members rotate in and out of these positions. Most co-ops utilize some type of point or scrip system (monopoly money, poker chips, etc.), which have a set value, e.g. one chip is worth a half hour of babysitting time. Members have incentives for sitting: when they sit for another family, they earn points that they can “spend” when they need a sitter. In most cases, extra scrip is “paid” if more than one child in a family is being watched. New members are either given a pre-set amount of scrip or must baby sit first to accumulate scrip. If a family runs out of scrip, it can’t use the co-op until it provides some childcare for other families.
To join an existing cooperative, new members might need to be sponsored by an existing member. If the co-op has the maximum number of families, you will be added to a waiting list and can join as other families leave. Co-op members are provided with a roster listing the members’ names, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses as well as names and birthdates of children and their medical/emergency information.
To find existing babysitting co-ops in your area, ask other parents in your
neighborhood, or check with the California Child Care Resource & Referral Network at www.rrnetwork.org/resources-and-links/counties.html. Enter the name of your county to find the local agency (or agencies) that might be able to refer you to existing cooperatives in your neighborhood.
If you’re unable to locate an existing co-op in your neighborhood (some maintain a very low profile), consider starting one. You can start a co-op with as few as five or six families, set up your rules and then solicit more families. Be proactive: call other moms in your area you know from your childbirth class, moms’ group, the park, or other sources. Place classified ads in local newspapers, post notices on web sites such as craigslist (http://sfbay.craigslist.org/) and Berkeley Parent’s Network (http://parents.berkeley.edu/) and put up fliers in your neighborhood.
Other web sites with helpful information on babysitting cooperatives are:
HelpingHero.com - www.helpinghero.com/content/l/babysittingcoop.aspx
PreschoolEducation.com - www.preschooleducation.com/art4.shtml
EarlyMotherhood.com - www.earlymotherhood.com/babysitting-cooperatives.html
Yes We Can! www.wkkf.org/Pubs/GreaterBC/Babysitting_coop_00254_02987.pdf
Remember the African proverb made famous by Hillary Clinton: “It takes a village to raise a child”. A babysitting co-op allows neighbors to get to know one another and create a stronger community. Children become comfortable among adults and other neighborhood children. Parents who are members of a co-op expand their babysitting options and turn neighbors into friends as well as an expanded support group. Co-op families often form friendships and strong bonds that last long beyond the babysitting years.
East Bay Moms is a membership organization for parents of infants and toddlers. Our mission is to provide support, companionship and networking for its members. All interested parents of infants and toddlers are welcome to join.
Lee Eisman
eastbaymom(at)aol.com
www.eastbaymoms.com
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