8 Cheap to Free Childcare Options When You Need a Little “me time”

[momsfirststop]

8 Cheap to Free Childcare Options When You Need a Little “me time”

http://momsfirststop.com/

We have all been there as parents when you’ve just had enough and just need to get away even just for a moment. After the birth of my daughter I remember spending lots of time at the grocery store going down each and every aisle enjoying the silence and freedom of being there alone. We shouldn’t feel guilty for wanting some alone time or adult time with our spouse and friends. It’s natural and frankly healthy. You will be a better mommy and wife if you make sure your needs are being met. Here are my 8 cheap to free childcare options when you need a little “me time”.


1. FREE - Friends and Family – This should be your first option if you have any family or friends that live close. Ask for a weekly or monthly appointment where they can take your kid(s) for a couple of hours. You will be surprise how accommodating and sympathetic your loved ones will be for a favor like this.


2.FREE - Parent co-op or Kid(s) swap – Find another mom or group of moms in your situation willing to take turns watching each others kid(s). craigslist.org usually has listings for parent co-op’s in your area.


3.CHEAP - Join a gym – Most gyms offer childcare so this is a great way for you to get some exercise in and get a break. Don’t feel like exercising? Relax in the sauna, sit in the hot-tub or just pretend to exercise and do some people watching or read a book. Also, I have even seen some gyms offer “date night” where they will watch your kid(s) for a couple of hours while you and your spouse have a date.


4.FREE - Join a church – Most churches offer free childcare during their service or bible study. A ladies bible study is a great way to meet other moms, grow your support system and faith.


5.FREE - Freddy’s Playland at Fred Meyers - Fred Meyers is a regional grocery store and they have a great little service called “Freddy’s Playland.” It’s a place where kids, between the ages of 2 and 5, can go for one hour while their parents do their grocery shopping. There are a couple really great things about this: 1) it’s free 2) the store is huge, along the lines of a Super Target with all your shopping needs 3) it has a Starbucks inside 4) My daughter loved going there. 5) Even if you don’t have shopping to do, you can have a 1 hour break of all parenting obligations.


6.FREE - Public Library service – Most public library’s offer fun free activities for kids off all ages. You do have to stay onsite but this is a great way for someone else to entertain your kid(s) or an hour and you can take a mental break.


7.CHEAP - Teen babysitter or mommy helper - There are a lot of qualified teenagers available after 3pm on week days that have taken classes on babysitting including safety, emergency training and are experienced. You can post or read ads out on craigslist.org or check out a babysitting service that can find someone for you. Have the sitter come over for an interview to see how comfortable you are with them and they are with your child. This is a cheap childcare option and a great way to schedule some regular “me time”.


8.CHEAP - Timeshare a nanny - Find another parent wanting or willing to share a nanny on a part-time basis.

[lozygo]

There are gains for all our losses. There are balms for all our pain: But when youth, the dream, departs It takes something from our hearts, And it never comes again. We are stronger, and are better, Under manhood's sterner reign: Still we feel that something sweet Followed youth, with flying feet, And will never come again. Something beautiful is vanished, And we sigh for it in vain; We behold it everywhere, On the earth, and in the air, But it never comes again! 深圳管道疏通疏通排污管道、疏通下水道、清理化粪池载拉污水泥浆及化工废水服务

[hollyvangogh]

Originally Posted by momsfirststop

8 Cheap to Free Childcare Options When You Need a Little “me time”

http://momsfirststop.com/

4.FREE - Join a church – Most churches offer free childcare during their service or bible study. A ladies bible study is a great way to meet other moms, grow your support system and faith.

I think this is so weird...church should be a time when families are together. At my church everyone is together for the service, families only split up for sunday school classes. Even then young infants stay with mom or dad. I don't understand what the point of having a family is if you're constantly trying to get away from them? I love kids. I think they're a joy and I want to be with them at church. Especially since after church it's awfully hard to have meaningful discussions about what was taught if the kids weren't there to hear it.

I understand needing personal time (and that's why I think many of these other ideas are great). But I really think church should be a family affair.

[Julie Rains]

I love being with my kids also but it can be nice to have time with adults, and moms can really enjoy spending time with other moms or just other women in general, for example in these settings -- childcare at church can help this. For my women's group, though, we didn't have sitters but let the kids play in another part of our space while we talked. This usually worked pretty well -- great for 3 - 10 year olds.