Tuesday Tidbit- Sitter Dilemma...

So I've hit that point in the summer where all of my sitters are leaving for vacation.

OH. MY.

How will I ever make it through July?

That's where friends come in. I've been fortunate enough to develop a network of friends that don't mind trading off from time to time. And they have kids the same exact age as mine, so it works out beautifully. Want to develop this? Here's a couple things I always try to follow. . .

1.) Pick friends with similar values/guidelines.

What does that mean? If low media time and low sugar intake are important to you, then try to find friends who think similarly. It makes it easier all the way around if we're all on the same page with the same expectations.

2.) Don't wear out your welcome.

Try not to let your kids be over there too long. If it's an emergency, that's one thing, but if it's just running to the store or getting a sanity break, try to keep it to no more than two hours if possible.

3.) Always give more than you get.

For lack of a better analogy, I like to try to store up credits. I make myself available so that when I'm in a pinch, hopefully they'll be there for me, too. Sometimes it doesn't always work out, but more often than not, my friends have pulled through for me when the going got tough.

Yes, I agree that it DOES take a village to raise a child. I'm just a fan of picking the people in my village. :-)

Yours, grateful for friends,

Melissa