A babysitting co-op is a group of parents who agree to exchange babysitting time.
Unlike most one-to-one babysitting arrangements, members do not have to pay cash or make an even exchange of hours with the other parents. Parents may fill and request sits according to their own schedule with anyone in the group. Most co-ops work on some kind of point system: you earn points when you watch someone else’s kid, and you spend points when someone sits yours.
Each group determines their own rules such as: Who can join? Will administrative dues be charged? How will points be tracked? Who will lead the group? Many co-ops have rotating coordinators and/or secretaries, often paid with sitting points. Luckily, there is a lot of information available on the Web so a new group doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel! Three very helpful websites are:
There is even a free webinar on “How to Start a Babysitting Co-op” available at:
Also, if you would like to connect with other parents who are interested in starting a babysitting co-op, you may leave a comment on this site with instructions on how you would like to be contacted. And keep us posted on how things work out!
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