Parents Can Help Each Other At Christmas

The first few years that they were parents, Gail andas possible. When they drop their kids off at the
Darin dreaded the stress of the Christmas season.designated baby-sitters' house, they also drop off food
The difficulty of shopping with a child in a stroller madeor games for the kids to share, so everyone shares
an already arduous task even more tiring. The onlythe time and expense of the pool.
way to avoid taking their baby daughter with themThe kids all love the plan because it means that three
was to do all of their shopping seperately, while oneor four times a season, they go to "parties" with their
spouse stayed at home. They avoided Christmasfriends, where they're much more comfortable than
parties, caroling with their friends, and many of thethey would be at Dad's boss's house or running from
activities they would have loved to take part in. Theymall to mall while Mom and Dad shop. The parents
weren't bitter or begrudging-they loved their daughterlove the plan because their kids are being supervised
and loved being with her-they just found that theby other adults they trust.
constant attention a child requires prevented themAnd the parents who babysit always end up enjoying
from enjoying many of Christmas's traditions.their time as well. Besides the food that the other
By the time they had their second child, a son, their littleparents drop off, they can rent videos to keep the kids
girl was in preschool, and Gail and Darin knew some ofoccupied, or supervise games with holiday themes.
the other school parents-parents with the sameOne family loves to have all the children help to trim
Christmas-time issues. But, along with the othertheir Christmas tree and decorate their house.
parents, they developed a solution, by forming aAt the end of the season, Gail and Darin's group
babysitting pool.gather at one family's house for a New Year's Day
Around Thanksgiving, the parents share their plannedparty-they usually hire a babysitter for the day, and
schedules with each other via e-mail-which nightsreserve a portion of the house for the children, while
they've been invited to parties or other holidaythe parents gather together for a relaxing day of food,
functions which might not be enjoyable for their kids,friendship, and football.
etc. They also share the dates on which they're willingMany parents find themselves dreading all the hassles
to babysit each others' kids, including weekend days,of the holiday season each year, without realizing that
when most people do their shopping. Then someone intheir friends-other parents-are in exactly the same
the group collates all the information and dates, andboat. With a little communication and cooperation,
draws up a calendar, with each set of parents'parents can work together to make sure everyone in
babysitting schedules. And usually, each household onlytheir circle has as pleasant a Christmas as possible.
has one day or night for which they're responsible forGail and Darin love Christmastime, now. They're able to
the other families' children.share the joy of the season with their children and
And the group, as a whole, strives to make eachspend time alone together, as adults, in ways they
family's babysitting night or day as easy and effortlessthought they never would-at least for another decade.