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The Art of the Co-op

by Julie King

Babysitting co-ops, dinner co-ops, mommy group co-ops . . . the list goes on and on. How do you make a co-op work, and what are the benefits and drawbacks to having one? Here you will discover how to start one in your neighborhood and figure out if this idea will work for your family.

The Babysitting Co-op

This co-op stems from the fact that hiring a sitter can be very expensive and very difficult when competing with neighbors to book the only four available teenagers willing to babysit. A group of four families, preferably with the same number of children, will get together and form a babysitting co-op. Each family will take one Friday night a month to be the host family. The other three sets of parents will bring their children to the host family's home at the designated drop-off time. So, you get three free nights a month of babysitting for being a host family once.

Each co-op has its own set of rules. Some families require that the children be fed dinner before being dropped off at the host family home. Drop-off and pick-up times are strict, and if you are habitually late, you risk being tossed out of the group. It's a good idea to also talk about age restrictions, like no babies under one year. Some groups go on hiatus over the summer while vacations and reunions take over. Other groups find summer the best time because children can play outside longer.

Pros: You get a guaranteed date night with your spouse three times a month for free!

Cons: At some point, you will have to be the host family, which means a lot of kids in your house. You might also be dealing with a wide range of ages from toddlers to pre-teens, making entertaining everyone at the same time a real challenge. You might be dealing with potty accidents, separation anxiety, or a number of other problems.

Start-Up Costs: None.

Commitment: Serve as host family once a month and work out host schedules with other families.

The Dinner Co-op

We all lead busy lives and sometimes getting a homemade meal on the table is next to impossible as children are shuttled between piano, soccer, and Girl Scouts. We don't want to fill our kids up with fast food every night, so what is a busy mom supposed to do?

The dinner co-op might be the answer for you. Four or five families participate in the co-op where each family is assigned a dinner night where they cook the meal and deliver it to the other families in the co-op. Each family also rotates an assigned dinner main ingredient. Your assigned night might be Tuesday, while one month you might be assigned chicken and the next month you are making soup and salad. This works best with other families who live in the same neighborhood to make transporting multiple dinners less of a chore. An assigned dinner drop-off time helps to make the process a little smoother.

Families with the same number of people work best so that a family of two is not cooking dinner for a family of eight. Also, it is a good idea to meet periodically to rate the dishes prepared. Everyone in your family may love Aunt Donna's carrot soufflé, but it might not be going over too well for another family. You will have to decide as a group if the dinner is just the main course, or also involves side dishes. Some families find that doing freezer meals works best with their busy schedules.

Pros: You don't have to worry about what to make for dinner several nights a week and it will magically appear on your doorstep.

Cons: During months that you are making dinners with more expensive ingredients (like beef or chicken), you may find your grocery bill quite a bit higher than normal. Also, you may find making dinner for three or four other families one night a week overwhelming. This might also not work for you if someone in your family has food allergies as some other chefs might not read labels as closely as you do.

Start-Up Costs: $40-$100 for community dishes to transport the dinners. Also, your grocery bill might suffer from cooking additional dinners, but if done correctly, it should work out evenly.

Commitment: Making dinner for other families one night a week and meeting with other families occasionally to work out any kinks and evaluate prepared dishes.

The Mommy's Day Off Co-op

Moms are overworked and spend their days caring for everyone else while their needs often get put on the back burner. The mommy co-op allows moms some much-needed downtime whether that means getting a manicure, going to the gym, scheduling an overdue dentist appointment, or doing some Christmas shopping without the kids in tow. It can be done with one friend or expanded to include others. You each choose a day and time that works for you. Maybe you would like Monday mornings off while your friend would like Thursday afternoons. You watch her kids while she takes a time-out, then she watches yours. This idea works great whether you are a stay-at-home mom, a single mom, you work outside the home, or you work from your home.

Pros: Quiet time without kids to do what needs to be done and down time for mom to take care of herself.

Cons: You watch someone else's children when you may already feel that you have hit your limit.

Start-Up Costs: None.

Commitment: You can trade off once a week or once a month depending on your needs.

The Preschool Co-op

Having energetic preschoolers around who need to be physically and intellectually active can be draining for a mom. They want you to play a game, do a puzzle, or play at the park, but all you can think about is the sink full of dishes and the four loads of laundry that need to be done today. You want your child to be prepared for school academically and socially, but maybe you aren't interested in spending a ton of money for a preschool program. A preschool co-op may work well.

It's best to keep this co-op group to about six children. Coordinate with other moms to set up the co-op. Maybe you'd like a preschool program that runs two days a week for two hours at a time. Each mom signs up to do a week of the school in her home and then the next week it rotates to the next mom's home. This co-op allows your child to interact with other children his age while learning some skills that will be important in kindergarten.

Pros: You will only have to host the preschool every six weeks, and it gives your child an opportunity to learn without shelling out big bucks.

Cons: Some parents may see the preschool as a glorified play date and not provide the stimulation you are looking for. It is best to discuss the class lessons and parent expectations before you begin to make sure that everyone is on the same page.

Start-Up Costs: Nothing if you do the lessons on your own. You could spring for materials and a lesson plan program designed for preschoolers if the parents would like.

Commitment: You will be expected to entertain and teach about six kids for designated preschool hours which can be a bit of a juggling act.

The Home Improvement Co-op

Whether it's putting up a fence in the backyard, finishing a basement, or replacing a roof, everyone always has projects around the house that need to be done. The old adage, "many hands make light work" definitely applies to home improvement projects. Here is how it works. Four families get together to form the co-op. One Saturday a month is the assigned co-op work day. The host family provides the materials for the project while the other three families bring their skills, energy, and any tools they have. Whatever is left of the project at the end of the work day is then left to the host family to complete on their own time. This co-op is a great way to get to know people better, and it's fun to end the work day with a barbeque or potluck dinner. This co-op works best when it is only one Saturday a month since families are often busy on this day of the week.

Pros: You get three times a year when you have lots of help to finish those projects that may seem overwhelming if you tackle them on your own. You will also get to enjoy the fruits of your labor whether it is an additional bathroom or new flooring in your family room. And you may find yourself making some really great friends by working together.

Cons: You are giving up one Saturday a month when you may already feel that you don't spend enough time with your family. You may also feel out of your element if your home improvement skills are a little lacking. Depending on the skill level of those involved, the quality of the work can be less than stellar.

Start-Up Costs: None, but you are expected to provide the materials for your home improvement project.

Commitment: One Saturday a month. You can also decide as a group if this is an ongoing co-op, or one that you want to just do for a specific timeframe.

Co-ops are a great way to save money by getting valuable things you need without paying for them with money, but with your time and effort. They can help simplify your life, help you feel like part of a community, and make being a parent just a little bit easier.