For regretting joining the localbabysitting circle before i've properly joined it (as it were).

[minouminou]

Just because I'm expecting it to be cliquey and yaddah yadah yaddah, etc etc, although the very nice co-ordinator made it clear (apropos of nothing) that it was structured to avoid cliques and favouritism developing.
Experience of these things, anyone.
Oh, and AIBU, am i just a cynical hard faced cahhhhhhhh?

we joined one when we moved to a new area without any friends or family. It's brilliant as we get to go out, leaving our children with other nice mums and without paying a fortune. Ours has strict rules to make sure that everything is fair and that everyone gets an equal chance to get sitters

So does this one, but this is an uber-cliquey area, and i can see the rules being circumvented a lot. Glad you had a good experience, that's encouraging.

Message withdrawn

cosmopolitan AND stuck in your ways
great image
i see you sipping that very cranberry-based cocktail at a chi-chi outdoor cafe bar wearing a flat cap
i'll give it a go - it's just that one of the women who runs it uses phrases like "elite circles"
i hired a forensic detective to look for traces of irony in her words, and the tests came back negative

Message withdrawn

How does a babysitting circle work?

you earn "credits" - 1 per hour, 2 after midnight etc, and everything works on a quid pro quo basis
people who have the least credits get asked to abbysit 1st, which keeps it fair
you use the credits up when you need a babysitter
sounds great in theory
run for my life?
i think not, i shall stand and fight!

Try it out. YTou are not signed up for life I presume?

I am in one and it works really well.

Thanks, guys
i'm quite happy to try it out, and i'm sure they mostly work really well, it's just that i've seen, and been on the receiving end of, some really odious snobby behaviour from some of the members, and i'm just waiting for it to start seeping through the structure and process of the group, to our (me, DP and DS') disadvantage
anyhoo, i shall let you all know how it goes...it probably will be ok. i just have to cast aside my doubts - or at least not let them show