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But, is it worth getting a babysitter?
Filed under: Babies, Toddlers Preschoolers, Activities: Babies, Places To Go, That's Entertainment
On Friday night my husband and I hired a babysitter so we could go see Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. (Check out our review here.)
We joined some other friends of ours who also have a baby and used the same sitter. In addition, we ordered out dinner. And, yes, instead of spending way too much on popcorn, drinks and snacks we snuck in some contraband we picked up along the way. All together, the evening cost each couple involved total of about $75 (this is a pretty good deal since if we had each gotten our own sitter the price would have been $15 an hour per sitter). Given the price of gas and everything else these days, I couldn't help but wonder, was it worth it? This is not to mention all the time and effort that went into planning, traveling and waiting in line. Just what is worth getting a sitter?
The answer may not be so obvious. We hadn't seen these friends in a long time. It's really hard when you have small children to find time to get together for double dates. Scheduling can be very trying, and more often than not getting together boils down to random chance. And this only works out if the sitter is available. That said, anything that gets people out of the house is a good thing. Maybe where you live movie tickets aren't $11 each (like they are in New York City), and maybe you're not paying between $12 and $15 an hour for a sitter, but the price can still add up.
I think dinner and a movie with some friends is worth it. Attending the opening of a gallery or a hitting a concert is certainly an idea. Anything that will keep you out late and forces you to do some sort of planning is worth it. My rule is that if I have to get dressed up--or at least change my clothes--then it's worth getting a sitter. Obviously anything that is not child-friendly or kid-appropriate warrants a sitter. Even just having a quiet dinner with your significant other can be worth it, romantic or otherwise. Heck, I've often thought about hiring a sitter just to get some housework done...or to sleep. Yes, it's crossed my mind. On more than one occasion.
So what about you? For which activities do you think it's worth it (not just necessary) to get a sitter?
Pic of the wrong kind of baby sitter by Olaf!
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
5-25-2008 @ 1:15PM
Joy said...I wonder the same thing too. My husband and I want to go and see the new Indiana Jones movie. We found a drop in daycare place that charges $9 an hour and has a good reputation. I figure between the movie (2 hours) and mealtime (2 hours), it would cost $36 for just the daycare. If we went to a matinee, it would be an additional $10-12 for tickets (before noon showing). So, essentially, we would get away with $50 for an outing. But $50 is our grocery shopping money for the week. I suppose we can wait and rent the movie, but that's what we've been saying about Pirates of the Caribbean and we still haven't seen it. What is reasonable? Unfortunately we don't have relative who live close by.
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5-26-2008 @ 4:37PM
Anne said...For us, my husband works a night job but has SOME flexibility.
But for us to go see a movie together on a date night means the loss of wages, plus a sitter at $10/hr (1 child), plus the cost of dinner and a movie or whatever we decide to do. It's so frustrating, because it limits our times out together. But we try our best to save $$ and then do something big, like a concert.
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5-27-2008 @ 2:13AM
Danielle said...We wait until the movie is at the video shop and then have a family night with the kids. Much cheaper than babysitters and movie ticket costs.
www.sevendaymother.com
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5-30-2008 @ 3:04PM
Nicole said...We dont pay for a sitter that often, we have three under four, and honestly, I just dont have alot of faith in people. They are a handful, and just would be so worried. BUT, we do swap baby sitting with a good friend of ours. Once a month, she comes over after my kids go to bed, and we go out. Then, I do the same for her and her hubby. Its nice becuase it someone who we trust, has kids, lives nearby and the best part...ITS FREE! Plus, its nice for the person doing the sitting...when you're not at home there is no laundry to fold, no chores to do, no hubby who wants to...well, you know. Its a win win for us!
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