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Topic: Babysitting co-ops
| Author | Message |
| kristen | Posted – 4/2/2007 1:25:12 PM | show profile | email poster I'm a freelance writer working on an article about babysitting co-ops (groups of parents who join together to exchange free babysitting services). I'd like to talk with moms (and dads) who belong to co-ops about why they joined, the benefits (and pitfalls) of belonging to such a group, and tips they have for other parents. Please e-mail me as soon as you can. Thanks! |
| HisGirlFriday | Posted – 4/2/2007 8:51:42 PM | show profile I never joined a co-op per se but for a few months two of my girlfriends and I did a kid swap - (we'd take each other's kids for a few hours one day and then swtich later in the week.) It was not anything official or organized or regular by any means - is that what you mean? |
| gimmemags | Posted – 4/3/2007 11:56:40 AM | show profile my former editor who lives in Madison, Wis., is a part of one of these. I'd check listings there; there seem to be quite a few of these formal and informal networks in that city, particularly in the Willy St. neighborhood. |
| kristen | Posted – 4/3/2007 7:07:21 PM | show profile Thanks for the tip! What sort of listings in Wisconsin do you mean? Is there a parenting Website that advertises co-ops and other groups in that area? It sounds like there is a lot of activity. |
| kristen | Posted – 4/3/2007 7:12:09 PM | show profile | email poster HisGirlFriday--Thanks for your post. I'm hoping to find contacts for more formal groups that actually track member participation, hours swapped, that sort of thing. But, the informal kid exchange could be a side piece. (I actually do both--belong to a formal co-op and have a Friday "moms morning out" exchange with a few friends.) Could you send me your e-mail address? |
| gimmemags | Posted – 4/4/2007 11:06:36 AM | show profile I would poke around classified--because Madison is a college town, most of the ads for this kind of thing show up on poles or stapled to random bulletin boards and leaflets in restaurants. Start w/a Craigslist search there and expand. |
| kristen | Posted – 4/4/2007 1:09:48 PM | show profile Thanks for the tip! |
| r|s | Posted – 4/7/2007 6:28:29 PM | show profile | email poster I have resources handy ... ... if you're interested. I did a story on this for Single Parent magazine last year. I know it's best to do your own research, but if you're in a bind/against a tight deadline, you hit me off-list and I'll run through my resources for you, including the author of a co-op guidebook. Let me know ... Cheers! |
| r|s | Posted – 4/7/2007 6:29:50 PM | show profile Apologies for the typo That should have read: "you *can* hit me offlist ...". Sorry! |
