Welcome!

Ever had to go somewhere like the doctors or dentist but didn't want to lug your kids and have them wait with you? Have a standing commitment you can't keep b/c of a deployed spouse? Want to go out on the town w/ hubby like you did pre kid? Ever just want to go to the coffeehouse or the nail shop w/o the freaking kids?!?! Well I do.

My hubby is deploying soon and I have a standing tennis date on Sundays and a workout on Saturdays I don't want to miss just because he's gone. Have you ever tried to get a drop in at the CDC? Yeah right! Plus you have to pay. Why not get a group of us moms together to child swap so we don't go broke spending money on child care and feel awkward asking our friends to watch our kids every once and a while? I want to make this clear, this IS NOT a play group kind of meetup, there's tons of those. Even though we'll have get togethers, that is not the focus of this group.

This group is geared towards new MILITARY San Diegans with no established support network or family whose husband or significant others are deployed. If your spouse isn't deployed, that's okay too. A small amount of civilians are welcomed too, but remember this group is for people w/ little or no support, if you've lived here all of your life and have family and neighbors to rely on, we might not be for you!

I will close this group after the first 30 families b/c I want us to get to know and be comfortable around each other, so get your joining apps in! Free parents-to-be with COMPLETELY filled in profiles will be accepted--all others, well, what can I say?

When we're all familiar, I will open it again. Dues are only $5 every 6 months and these go towards Meetup fees, potluck supplies and the like. If you come to your first potluck and don't feel the vibe, thats okay, you don't have to pay! I will be requiring all of us to carry car insurance and be CPR certified and I will post the dates and times of classes as soon as I find them.

That's about it, join us, let's start something fun!
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What a Co-Op Is

For those of you who don’t know, a babysitting co-op (short for “cooperative”) is an arrangement where parents take turns caring for each other’s children without the exchange of money. That’s right, it’s FREE babysitting.

What a Co-Op Isn’t

» A co-op is not a day care
» A co-op is not full-time child care
» A co-op is not one-sided

Who a Co-Op Is Good For:

» Parents without family nearby who can’t pay the going rate for babysitters
» Parents who don’t need consistent, full-time caregivers
» Parents dedicated to creating a stronger local community
» Parents who want their children to have playmates and more social interaction
» Parents who enjoy a busy household and like having additional kids around

Who a Co-Op Is NOT Good For:

» Parents with full-time child-care needs
» Parents who prefer handpicking their own perfect sitter
» Parents who insist on up-to-date sitter training such as CPR and first aid
» Parents with older children who may not need babysitting in the near future
» Parents with a newborn who don’t have time to care for other people’s children