Hellobee Boards

4 other moms I know through a moms group and I started one. It's been great! We have a secret Facebook group where members post "wanted" ads. Everyone starts with 10 hours for the first child and 5 hours for subsequent children. When using hours it's also .5 time for each child after one (ex: if you sit for a family with two kids for an hour you earn 1.5 hours). We keep track of things using google docs, with one with important info for each member and another with hours. One of the founding members keeps track of the hours every month on that spreadsheet. When someone sits, they email our central gmail with the info from that sit (sitter, sittee, date, hours, number of kids). The member who keeps track earns 4hrs a month. To add new members we have monthly potlucks where interested parties can attends and established members ca get to know potentials. You have to attend two before the decision is made. I think that's it! Quite the novel, haha. Wall me of you have more questions! It's been a lifesaver for me and a really wonderful way to get to know other parents as well.

@JessKas: cool!

@lady grey: I actually only knew one of the other moms when we started the group, and met the other two at the first meeting. We have about 15 members now, and I only knew two of them before they joined.

In regards to where the babysitting occurs, it depends on the wants of the sittee and their arrangement with the sitter. I've both watched kids at my house and their house. One mom I know picks a kid up from preschool and takes him to a park so his mom can work at home. It's used for all kinds of needs: here and there day time sitting, regular weekly gigs, and night time dates.

@JessKas: Wow, what a great idea!