New ideas are brewing and at the March member social, we tested the waters for a couple of initiatives.
Childcare swap/co-op/barter
Hey! We could be pooling our babysitting abilities, get some good playdates and in turn enable moms to go to doctor's appointments, work out, volunteer, go on date night or just get some private time sans kids. Several members got the idea at the same time (in evolution biology it would be called convergence), but of course the idea is not new. At least a couple of members have good experience with it from other networks. A childcare swap could be done as a barter network or a childcare co-op or just bilateral babysitting swaps within the boundaries of our MOMS Club. One of the best overviews I've seen in blogland is this one on Frugal Mama.At the member social, most people expressed a need for some scheduled time off during the day. At least two members have experience with a morning-time babysitting swap with equal duties and no point system. Some of us are willing to babysit evenings for date nights (thanks for clarifying that, Laura). Mette and Mandy will make sure this initiative gets started before the new board takes over. That means we're looking for a coordinator - could that be you?
Accountability club - and other enticements for exercise
Various concepts to consider are empty nester walking club and accountability club. This got a lot of discussion. Jen has volunteered to spearhead the initiative and explore it.Project Club
Do you have a nagging task that a team of friends could get done in a few hours? Call in Project Club - or pay it forward by helping out another member.Mette expressed the need to clean out the basement to make room for babysitting swap. It would be like a chat'n'play with some adults - and all the kids - playing and chatting upstairs while some adults work and try not to chat too much downstairs. This initiative is taking off already on Tuesday April 2.
