Consulting job only once a month-babysitting?

[purpleeyes]

I am looking at taking a consulting job that would require me to go into work only once a month (yay!) It is *really* important that I take this job, b/c of some family issues that have recently popped up.

Anyway, what kind of babysitting would you suggest for this type of job? I am thinking of asking my mommy friends, but it is hard with the two kids, since all my friends have 2+ kids. I am thinking about someone in the neighborhood but I don't know too many people.

I just want to have this info sort of planned out before I get everyone all excited about the posibility of me taking it.

Thanks!!

[niccig]

Do you have a regular babysitter? I did classes during the day and I asked at the YMCA babysitting where DS goes. 2 girls split the days that I needed. They also babysit for us in the evening. I tend to do this now rather than ask mum friends because 1) they all have 2+ kids and I feel bad about giving them one more 2) I need a sitter for more than a few hours.

Ask around, you might find someone knows a sitter.
ETA. I would try to have a few names of people that could sit for you. That way if someone can't do it, you have a back up. Since using the YMCA babysitters, if one is sick they arrange for another babysitter - DS knows all of them, and they've all been background checked by the Y.

[jenmcadams]

Unless you have a mom friend who has expressed interest and would take some form of payment, I would go the regular babysitter route. YMCA or daycare workers who have the days you need off are great. When I used to do some consulting from home, I used college students both for times when I had to get work done and for days I went in for meetings. Ultimately, when my DD was about 2, I ended up enrolling her in an amazing college lab preschool/daycare two days a week. It allowed me to get my work done (I was typically doing a mix of home/office work for clients for a max of 10-15 hours a week) and some time to myself.

Once a month would definitely be harder to schedule, so definitely arrange for back-ups. Also, if your one day in the office is a consistent day each month (e.g. 1st Mon of the month), it might be easier ultimately to schedule a babysitter to come each Monday. You could use that day to get the work done you need to and you'd always have someone available for the day you need to go in

[Momof3Labs]

Can Daddy take a day off each month to stay with the kids? Or can he work from home that one day? Or work a flex schedule that week (compress his 40hrs into four days to take the one day off)?

[belovedgandp]

When I thought I had jury duty I lined up the following combo with my two kiddos:

1 - leave both kids with one friend. She has two kids of similar ages. Ok, for one day, but I'd definitely want to pay her if it was a regular thing or more than one day.

2 - split the kids up. One extra at two different houses - not nearly as overwhelming.

3 - KidsPark - a drop in pay by the hour facility. Only an option for older one.

4 - High school or college kid babysitter at our house. It was summer time, so I could line up one of our neighbor kids fairly easily. If you have flexibility in the scheduling of what day you work each month you might pull this off for quiet a few days even during the school year. Our kids are always getting random holidays and staff in-service days off.

5 - Shorten the day. Husband went into work late. Neighbor came to our house for a few hours in the middle of the day. Grandma gets off work by 3, so she came over. Kids got to stay at home. A revolving door of people handing off, but it would work in a pinch.

6 - Agree to swap back. A day to myself would be an even better exchange than money with a friend. Admittedly, a few hours would be easier than a whole day, but I'd do a 10 hour day with most of my friend's two kids in exchange for two 3-4 hour mornings/afternoons of my kids at her house in the same month.