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| The Team |
Pam Goncalves |
- Mother of 2
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| Charlene McNamara |
- Mother of 3
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| Jenny Shore |
- Mother of 1
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| John Simpson |
- Father of 2
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Babysitter Exchange was founded by a group of parents that wanted to find a way
to trade babysitting with each other and with other parents we knew from our
neighborhood, our children's preschool, and other community groups.
For us, the hassle of finding a babysitter outweighed the convenience of having
a sitter in the first place. We all spent too many hours on the phone trying
to track down the local teenager just to have an evening out, or to run an errand
without the kids. If we were lucky enough to find someone reliable, most of us
were paying around $10 per hour, which is like having a surcharge added to every
hour of free time. It just seemed so sensible to trade babysitting with the other
parents we already knew and trusted. |
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A few of us were already exchanging babysitting duties with a couple of trusted
friends or had tried the more traditional babysitting co-ops. With only a couple
of sitters on hand, we found that we couldn't schedule free time as often as we
desired. While co-ops offered more sitters, those of us who work during the day
couldn't maximize the benefits, serve as the co-op secretary, or attend any regular
meetings. In addition, some of us couldn't join various co-ops because of specific
geographic boundaries or membership rules such as "no single parents".
So this is how Babysitter Exchange was born. Why not use the Web to relieve the
hassle and burden of calling around to find an available, trusted babysitter and
also eliminate the high costs associated with getting some free time? We created
Babysitter Exchange, a tool that lets you set up a group of parents consisting of
parents you already know and trust to trade babysitting. You can start as many
groups as you'd like (one from your neighborhood, one at work, one at your children's
school, etc.) for no additional charge. You request a babysitter and Babysitter Exchange
takes care of all the communication, tracking of credits, scheduling and administration.
We're excited about Babysitter Exchange, and envision it being used by
parents all over the world. For some it might provide wonderful play dates with
families you wish your children saw more often, and for others it might allow a
welcome night out or just an hour break to get some personal chores accomplished.
We'd love to hear your feedback and the stories of how Babysitter Exchange has helped you
manage your busy lives.
Enjoy!
The Babysitter Exchange Team
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