Babysitting exchange
Mothers watch each other's kids in turn
Need some help with the kids, but your close family is not available? Asking friends for favours can get awkward after a few times, and professional babysitters are expensive?
The babysitting exchange helps you find a free solution to the problem.
You could use some me-time?
Looking to work a few hours a week?
Missing your date nights?
Struggling with daycare/school closure?
In our community, the mothers take turns watching each other's children. This way the kids get a playdate and moms get some well-deserved free time.
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.When joining, members create a Mamasitter profile and find the most suitable matches within the community.
With the guidance of the platform members and groups get to know each other step-by-step, build trust and start babysitting.
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.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 nice, 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...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.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.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.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.
About
Hello,I'm Orsolya, the founder of Mamasitter.Before my son was born, I thought I was busy... I was constantly juggling multiple tasks and activities, including long working hours, an active social life, a relationship, a household, self-care and personal growth, family, etc. Despite my schedule being packed, I was confident that I can make everything fit in.Once my son was born, I still craved my old lifestyle and wished to continue with all my activities... Although, as much as I believed in the superpowers of a mom, the reality was that I couldn't squeeze in all the things I wanted into my child's naptimes.This is how the idea of Mamasitter was born.The story of MamasitterStarting from my personal struggle, I looked for solutions on how I could create the possibility of having time for other things besides my little goofball. Our extended family lives too far away to help out regularly, and although my close friends were willing to lend a hand, I felt that I could not abuse the favour. I considered the daycare to be too early and that would not have been a solution for the evening programs anyway. There was no other option but to hire a babysitter, but even finding the right one is not easy, not to mention how much it would bump up the budget for a simple night out at the movies or for grabbing a casual drink at the bar.
In November 2022, together with a few members of a local moms' group, we formed our own babysitting exchange group just to see how it goes. The Mamasitter platform was born out of our experiences and lessons learned there.
Mamasitter is still in its early stages and has room for development. To make it perfect, we're counting on a larger community of mothers to join us and help make it the best it can be.MissionMamasitter aims to be the support system for mothers with young children, offering them much-needed relief and a sense of belonging. New moms will find tons of supportive content and services to help them be the best mothers they can be. Mamasitter's mission is to empower women to rediscover and embrace their identities beyond motherhood, hold onto what truly matters to them, and strike a new balance in their lives.Join us
Would you like to support Mamasitter in achieving its mission? As we are growing, we welcome any help we can get. At this stage, we're particularly looking for assistance in UX, design, web and mobile app development, social media, and marketing. However, any knowledge or experience you have that can help us make life easier for mothers is welcomed.If you're interested in getting involved, please reach out to us at [email protected]. We'd love to hear from you!