Member-only story
Child Care Cooperative
How to survive the fringe weeks
The weeks between summer and school, when childcare is non-existent and school hasn’t started yet, has been a struggle for our family.
Likewise, the weeks when school is out for vacation yet childcare has not begun makes me want to crawl into a hole and never come out.
There has to be a better way, and I have an idea.
It will take flexibility, planning, and some trust in our community, but I believe it will turn those stressful days into joyful ones for all ages.
The solution? A child-care cooperative
Imagine that you and at least four or five other families team up. You each agree to take one day off work to be the main adventure coordinator for the day.
This is not baby-sitting; this is a community adventure.
On your day of leading the adventure, you pick the spot. If the weather is nice, you could pick a park with public restrooms. If the weather is stormy, opt for an indoor playground or a trampoline park.
Instruct the families what they need. For example, “pack a lunch, sunscreen, and bug spray. We’re going on a hike.”
