You've got through those first worrying months and now you feel it's time to start having some "me time" again and you have to find a babysitter. Now for those of us lucky enough to have family nearby then that would be the ideal choice. What do you do though if you don't, or feel you can't keep asking them?
Finding a babysitter can be difficult (and expensive)! More and more mums are forming a babysitting circle with friends. It works by having a pool of friends you can call upon to babysit. In return you have to take your turn, and how you arrange it is up to you but it's always a good idea to draw up some "rules" between you so everyone knows where they stand. The benefits are obvious - you get a night out, for free, and your children are in the care of a parent you know and trust.
Babysitting Do's and Don'ts:
If a babysitter is coming to you:
1. Do show her how to put the central heating back on after it automatically switches off at 10.30pm. There's nothing worse than coming home to find your babysitter jogging on the spot to keep warm.
2. Do leave her a selection of decent snacks and drinks. Otherwise she may have to resort to eating handfuls of coco-pops from your larder – not attractive.
3. Do ensure your children are at least bathed, fed and in their bed-clothes and have had a story read to them. Then all she has to do is pop them into bed - job done.
4. Do arrange to lock your dog in another room if needs be – your babysitter hasn't come along for the evening only for your dog to try and have sex with her leg. Ditto the cat.
5. Don't stumble in, completely trashed at 2am, and ask if she wants to stay and have "one for the road". She doesn't.
And if you're the babysitter:
1. Agree beforehand what time your friend will be back home.
2. Under no circumstances take it as an opportunity to rifle through her wardrobe or bank statements.
3. However tempting it may be, now is not the evening to call your sister in Australia and have a good old chinwag. Ditto hitting the drinks cupboard.
4. Unless they've set fire to the curtains, smile sweetly and reassure your friend that her children were little darlings. No one wants to come home at the end of a great evening to be told their children ran riot around the house.
5. Remember it's against the law to smack someone else's child – however tempted you may be when you find them setting fire to the curtains
