What is a babysitting exchange?
Parents with young children would often wish they could leave their kids with someone they trust. Nowadays, it's common for young parents to live far away from their extended family, which can make finding help a daunting task. Asking friends for help with childcare can be a solution, but after a few times, it gets uncomfortable, since we don't want to abuse the favour. Finding the right babysitter can be time-consuming and expensive.
A babysitting exchange is a mutually beneficial arrangement where mothers come together in pairs or groups to take turns caring for each other's children. Instead of paying for a babysitter with money, they use their time and expertise to help one another out. The system is essentially a barter cooperation, where parents trade babysitting services forming a self-help circle.
How does the Mamasitter platform work?
Mamasitter is a babysitting exchange platform that is currently in its testing phase.
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When joining, members create a Mamasitter profile and find the most suitable matches within the community.
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With the guidance of the platform members and groups get to know each other step-by-step, build trust and start babysitting.
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Members earn points for every childcare session they provide and they can use them with any community member, ensuring fairness and balance.
Who is it for?
Mamasitter works best for moms with 1 or 2 little ones, who need a few hours of helping hand with childcare each month and also have the time to return the service by looking after someone else's child.
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Mamasitter welcomes all moms, even those with more than 2 children. However, please note that each mom can only watch a maximum of 3 kids at once. While there's no age limit for the kids, we've found that help is most needed with babies over 6 months, toddlers, preschoolers, and elementary school kids.
Sounds good, but I'm just not sure if it's for me...
It's totally understandable to have mixed feelings! It's tempting to finally get some help and a bit of free time, but it's tough to trust someone else with your precious little one...
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You might be asking yourself, "How can I leave my baby with a stranger?", "What if (s)he won't sleep without me?", "What if nobody else can calm her/him down?", "Is (s)he too young for this?", "How could I handle two or three kids when I'm already struggling with one?" As a mother, you may often find yourself in doubt and uncertainty regarding your child.
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As every mother and child is unique, it's not guaranteed that a babysitting exchange would work for you. However, in our community, we believe that taking a leap of faith and trying a babysitting exchange can be a truly empowering and enriching experience for both moms and children. We encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and explore the benefits of connecting with other moms and families in your area.
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At Mamasitter we aim to provide a secure platform through which mothers and children can connect, form meaningful relationships, and find the best matches. However we strongly believe that maternal instincts cannot be replaced by any algorithm or filter, so we encourage you to trust your intuition when choosing someone to care for your child.
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But instead of worrying about the worst-case scenarios, focus on building a supportive community of amazing moms like yourself, where your child can make friends and you both can discover new things.