Summertime...

Everyone is eager for summertime to arrive – especially after a harsh winter.  Who can't wait for shorts, t-shirts, lemonade, backyard BBQ's and the beach?  I LOVE summertime but find it extremely stressful as a family of six, with two full-time working parents, to find summer help for my kids that is both safe and fun. 

Daycare camps are far too expensive and can be difficult to get into if your kids don't attend during the school year.  Sleepaway camps are a great idea but when you multiply that by four you could almost take the family on a small Caribbean vacation.  The only thing left to do is find a trustworthy babysitter that thinks of safety first, just like I do, and is the perfect combination of fun and affordable. 

This has been our major challenge for the past 15 years. It actually makes me dread summer.  When it comes to babysitters, I’ve found some good ones but I’ve also come across some real duds, too. In fact, I’ve had sitters who quit after the second day. Among the best was when I actually found another set of twins to watch my kids for a summer or two (they were great and are now mothers themselves and doing a fantastic job of it!) 

Even when I am lucky enough to find a good summer babysitter, I still have to battle with my guilty feelings. First, I always feel like I never pay my sitters enough. The job they’re doing is so important and such a big help to me that I wish I could afford to pay them more. And, second, I ALWAYS feel guilty about not being able to be home with my girls during the summer. 

Taking care of four kids is not an easy job. I am so grateful for all the great sitters we’ve had over the years.  But even when I have a good sitter lined up, I can’t help but countdown the days until the school year starts and we can go back to our regular routine.