Advice to Couples With Children

[BiloxiCouple]

Originally Posted by LFM2

I have NO idea how people find the time when their kids are little. I don't think we would have even entertained that thought when our kids were younger. Due to school concerts, debate meets, cheerleader practice and other extracurricular activities they had, we wouldn't have had the time!!

Our youngest was a junior in high school when we started playing. No worries about babysitting or lining up a favorable time.

The only thing we worried about was our job schedules which can be weird because I work the night shift and he works during the day. Sometimes sleep just has to take precedence.

Ya'll sound like use almost to a T! It was baseball, football and other activities. When the kids were old enough to watch themselves we started going out. She sleeps during the day and I sleep in the early evening. We never see each other until days off!

[ownerspet]

Originally Posted by BiloxiCouple

It might be better to say, "when you line up a babysitter, call". Instead of trying to ask "when do you think you'll line up a babysitter?"

While it would be a good way to put the ball back in their court, I have this fear of the inconsiderate couple that is going to call us or email us the day of or worse a couple of hours before they are available.

Don't get me wrong, we've made decisions to go hang out with people at the last minute. However, what if we already have plans, they can't really expect us to drop our plans on short notice.

[BiloxiCouple]

Put the ball back in their court with a small stipulation of a couple day notice for you to. It's only considerate when trying to make plans with someone.

[LFM2]

Originally Posted by ownerspet

I have this fear of the inconsiderate couple that is going to call us or email us the day of or worse a couple of hours before they are available.

No freakin' way?! Do people really do this? Back in the day that I did use babysitters, I could line one up 5 days ahead of time. Have things changed that dramatically that you might only get one "at the last minute"?

Secondly, I can't believe that some people would really be that inconsiderate. Oh wait... yes I can. I think it's what a lot of the adult world has come to.

[K&JIntimates]

Looks like K and I are going to be the flakey couple with kids this weekend. We had lined up a babysitter 10 days ago so that we could meet this couple we met online this weekend. On Monday our babysitter says there might be a conflict but she'll see what she can do. Last night she's telling us that we'll have to change our plans because she can't change hers...BS...she's just unwilling to cancel.

This is my SIL, she knew we wanted to go out and agreed 10 days ago now all of a sudden we're expected to not only change our plans but WATCH HER KID TOO!

If we don't have this hashed out tonight I'm going to have to cancel reservations, contact the other couple and try to reschedule....and pray they don't think we're flakes.

Okay, rant over.

[BiloxiCouple]

Maybe she has a play date set up also?

[Edison Carter]

Susan here--We have Swing friends that have two children. This may not work for you, but it has for them. They have three sitters that they can contact, they pay $15 an hour. The result is they always have a sitter. There is a website babysitters.com that may be helpful as well.

While it may not be practical for a lot of people, you can 'buy' your way out of this problem.

Lastly, they never use 'family' for a Swing night since one out of three times they cancel.

[cari and mar]

Originally Posted by Edison Carter

Susan here--We have Swing friends that have two children. This may not work for you, but it has for them. They have three sitters that they can contact, they pay $15 an hour. The result is they always have a sitter. There is a website babysitters.com that may be helpful as well.

While it may not be practical for a lot of people, you can 'buy' your way out of this problem.

Lastly, they never use 'family' for a Swing night since one out of three times they cancel.

Thanks - we may have to look into that more. Just browsing though a couple of profiles though, it seems like the challenge might be the same as what we have: finding a sitters to stay out much past midnight. Anyone tried an overnight sitter?

[cplnuswing]

Originally Posted by cari and mar

Just browsing though a couple of profiles though, it seems like the challenge might be the same as what we have: finding a sitters to stay out much past midnight. Anyone tried an overnight sitter?

Yes, and they are damn hard to find. Since for that you need someone a little more mature and reliable, that usually means an older teen, and by that time they are winding down their babysitting career and about the time you find a good one, they get a boyfriend, a real job, go to college, etc.

[JustAskJulie]

Somehow the subject of babysitter issues came up with a couple we were out with last night and they mentioned talking to a couple with kids who has now posted in their profile that due to lack of good babysitter they are taking turns playing solo. No offense to those that do, but if we had kids I think I'd rather wait for them to get old enough to stay overnight by themselves before I went that route.