11 Dec Free Childcare While You Get Your Business Started
As every parent knows childcare can not only be a hassle but it can also be expensive. In many cases the cost of quality childcare can be prohibitive. We all probably know at least one person who has found it too expensive to go back to work. If you own your own business or are trying to bootstrap a new venture it can put a real wrench in the works. So how do you clear the childcare hurdle?
Well when I was getting Fogged In Bookkeeping up off the ground 10 years ago I was fortunate enough to be able to swap kids with a couple of other moms. This meant no cash outlay for a sitter and some free time to work, network and take needed classes. We worked out schedules that worked for both parties. Often times one of us would take the kids in the morning and the other would take the kids in the afternoon, but other times we took whole days. There were days when my house looked like a Chuck E Cheese, but It was getting the job done. Luckily the kids were great and I still get to see them. Ten years later and none of them seem to have permanent damage so it seems to have worked out.
I found moms to swap with among my friends mostly. Don’t have friends with kids and flexible schedules? Well Erica Zidel of Boston, MA has created a solution. Her website www.sittingaround.com helps parents from a geographical area exchange childcare. There are built in tips for security, helps resolve disputes and moderates the site. If the coop approach isn’t for you joining local play groups, networking at kids activities, and even running an add are all possibilities.
Finding creative, inexpensive and safe solutions for your childcare needs can be a challenge but it isn’t impossible. It should never be a deterrent to launching your great idea or getting out there.
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