Different Types Of Babysitter Services And Nanny Help Sharing Programs:

Nanny Help Sharing System (works best with one nanny for two families): nanny help sharing is when a nanny watches children from two sets of families at the same time (not sharing the same nanny on different days) and sharing the cost in proportion to the number of children from each family.

Important nanny help sharing considerations: budget, relationship with other family (similar feelings on discipline and child activities), number of days both families need the nanny help, # and age differences among children the nanny help will be looking after, what both families look for in a nanny (CPR trained, criminal background check?), what kinds of out-of-home activities nanny help can do with kids (i.e. go to movies, park, or just stay in house). What happens if a child gets sick or one family wants to take a vacation?

Babysitter Services Sharing Programs

(1)   Kid / Errand Swap (small, informal, easy to organize, requires a little as two parents)

Kid/Errand Swapping works best with a trusted neighbor. Parent A and B have errands to run and chores to do at their respective houses. Parent A drops kids off at Parent B's house at predetermined days/times and spends a few hours running errands (groceries, banking, dentist appointment, whatever). Parent A reciprocates the favor on his/her predetermined day/time.

(2)   Date Night Swap (easy to set up, works well up to 4 children total)

Parent(s) B and C drop kids off at Parent A's house. Parent(s) A are responsible for babysitting children while Parent(s) B and C go on their separate date nights. Other Parents reciprocate the favor on Parent A's set date night. If time/budget allows Parents A, B, and C can organize their rotation so that each set of parents has the opportunity to go out on a date night at least once per week (e.g. A and B go out on Friday night, while C watches both A's and B's kids….B and C then go out on Saturday night, while A watches B and C's children).

(3)   Group Credit System (works better when schedules are more difficult to predict and for larger groups)

Each family gets 10 credits when they join the group. Whenever you host the children, you get one point per hour for the first child and ½ a point per hour for each additional child hosted at your house for the evening (e.g. if four children are in your house for 2 hours, you would earn 5 credits). Use a google spreadsheet that all participants can view, but only the "moderator" can edit. Once Mr. and Mrs. Askstoomuch runs out of credits, they are no longer allowed to ask any of the other participants to watch any of the Askstoomuch children. Rather, the Askstoomuches must host the other participants more to earn points that they can later redeem.

The google spreadsheet should also include all parents' names, their cell/home/work numbers, name/contact info of each child's pediatrician, hospital preference, and allergies.

(4)   +/- System.

One bookkeeper keeps track of when each participant watches children (+) or has their children watched (-). Add 1 unit per child per hour of watching other children. Subtract 1 unit per child per hour of having your children watched. No one participant is allowed to have negative (-) 10 credits at any time.