Who is able to take care of your child when you go away for a weekend or holiday?

Do you have any friends you can ask for recommendations of babysitters? I babysit for a number of families who are all friends and essentially recommended me to each other. I’ve never done overnights for them before but was a very experienced nanny a few years ago so would if they ever asked me to

Unless you're loaded and have a nanny this is just one of those things you dream of - we occasionally have a night away if grandparents offer to have our three but as they're getting older (kids and grandparents!) the offers are infrequent -we last went away May 2018 minus kids!!
If you just have one kid you nat drop luckily occasionally with sleepovers at friends but you would probably need to still be fairly local just in case they get homesick (I've had this happen with kids staying at mine ) and want or need to come home

Oh gosh, this moved quickly while I was posting. I thought you meant an occasional w/e. You need to find some very bespoke nanny care, which will be pricey, even if it’s available.

It’s not a role that is generally offered by a professional. It’s more a job for grandparents/uncles/aunts/friends. Since we don’t have any of these nearby, we havn’t been away with it children for nearly 12 years. I did have a few nights in hospital with hyperemis and then after my crash section with Dc2, but well, that’s it.

One night a week and 2 weekends a month! Do you know that this equates to about 20% of the time? Is this for work or socialising? Most people have to wait until their kids have gone to university to get this level of freedom back!

Anyway, I'm sure that if you are willing to pay £££ one of the nanny agencies would be able to find you someone.

EOW and one night a week sounds like something you would look for in a custody decision where your child would be with the other parent. Why do you want to voluntarily spend so little time with your child and leave them with someone they don’t know?!

A couple of weekends a month?? Seriously?

Two weekends a month and one night a week? What?? Every week ? WTF. I don’t know anyone who leaves their kids that often to go away even with family support. I certainly don’t know anyone who has paid a babysitter to cover a weekend when they’re away the entire time ( rather than shift work) so perhaps adjust your expectations about what’s reasonable when you have children.

I don't think I sounds doable to be honest.
I'd only leave my child overnight with someone they had a close relationship with.

I think the ideal is to build up this relationship over time so that trust is built on all sides.

I'm guessing that once lockdown is over and the dust settled there'll be plenty of people out there who want to earn some extra money in this way.

Maybe ask around school friends (do you have a school WhatsApp group?) local agencies and childminders.

Once you've identified somebody you think will work, start with a short daytime or evening babysit and slowly build up the amount of time as you all feel comfortable.

School friends parents, do monthly swaps? (once life back to normal)

Childminder likely to be very expensive, understandably so; formal overnight care is £££.

Or just go away as a family unit, once a month?

(Bit unsure about why you want to overnight your kid elsewhere once a week, what's that all about?)

A couple of weekends a month and once midweek is quite a lot, even if you did have family willing.

You want to leave your 5 year old with someone a couple of weekends a month?

I’m a bit confused. Is this for the odd weekend away, or so you can work? A couple of weekends a months is essentially half the weekends in a year!

No one. Haven't had a weekend away or a holiday in 10 years. But I have kids with SN so it's not simple for us.

There are nanny agencies, contact them and ask. There might be one looking for adhoc hours like that. It'll be expensive though.

I have had babysitter /childcare jobs off a reputable site. Once I had a toddler for a weekend. Had spent time with him prior to the weekend. They were originally strangers though... You can request DBS checked minders only. What about a neighbour /friend's dm?

We are in a similar boat but have 3 kids so no one wants them over night. Unless you have parents / siblings / other family members or good friends who will have them I’m afraid you can’t go. Don’t know if any other options!

School friends. Wouldn't ever consider paying a stranger to do this except in an absolute emergency.

You could contact childminders in your area? Not sure who else, friends ?

Bump