A couple of summers ago, while sipping coffee with two fellow moms, one of them proposed an intriguing idea. “What if we tried a kid swap this summer?” she suggested. “Each of us could take care of all the kids one day a week, letting the others have two days off without any kids. What do you think?”
With each of us having three children aged between 3 and 14, this meant we’d be managing nine kids one day a week. However, the prospect of two child-free days sounded fantastic!
We quickly implemented our cooperative parenting plan. Before the week began, we coordinated our work schedules (since we all juggle multiple part-time jobs) to establish our swapping days. The mom who worked outside the home had her hours from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., while the rest of us worked from home. We settled on swapping from 10:45 a.m. to 3:15 p.m., ensuring the kids were sent with lunches, snacks, water bottles, and sunscreen for outdoor play.
As any mom can attest, parenting is no walk in the park! But we were eager to see how our arrangement would unfold. Would the kids tire of each other? Would the two days of freedom be worth the chaos of a day spent with nine kids?
Fortunately, our concerns proved unfounded. After completing our second summer of kid swapping, the only adjustment I’d consider is investing in a 12-passenger van! Our swap days have taken us to parks, movie theaters, pools, and backyards, with the kids engaging in games and activities, whether together or in smaller groups. The older kids helped care for the younger ones, benefitting everyone involved.
Having done this for two years now, I firmly believe that three-way kid swapping is one of the best ideas out there. Managing nine kids for half a day is surprisingly manageable, given that they always have someone to entertain them. Most of the time, they’re outside, which means we moms have minimal hands-on involvement.
The kids have thrived in their creativity, inventing games and activities. Just the other day, the younger ones spent hours engaged in a role-play game. Our board games and cards have seen plenty of action, and they’ve developed unique twists on classic games like hide-and-seek. Occasionally, we’ll introduce a fun activity, like science experiments or arts and crafts, but more often than not, the kids come up with entertaining ideas independently. They don’t really require our guidance; a cupboard full of games and access to the great outdoors is enough to keep them occupied.
On rainy days or when things get a bit hectic, we might put on a movie or let them play video games for a while. However, these kid-swap days have greatly enhanced our kids’ social skills and creativity, while also providing us moms with much-needed breaks. Two days a week of free childcare with the knowledge that our kids are safe and having fun is simply amazing. Nine hours of uninterrupted work and a quiet house that stays tidy, even if just for a little while? Pure bliss.
Cooperative parenting holds the key to addressing many of our challenges. I wholeheartedly encourage you to connect with a couple of other families interested in a kid swap arrangement, as it’s absolutely worth it! For more parenting insights, check out our other blog posts, including this one on home insemination. If you’re looking for ways to boost your fertility, Make a Mom has fantastic supplements that can help. Additionally, Medical News Today provides excellent resources on pregnancy and home insemination.
In summary, kid swapping is a creative and effective strategy that allows parents to share childcare responsibilities, giving everyone a break while fostering children’s social skills and creativity.