The dinner was great, albeit LOOONG. 6 mommies at one table leads to lots and lots and lots of talking. Which was great and a needed change of pace. As we are sharing war stories (read: poop, vomit, and pumping stories) one of the women asked us if we remembered that episode of Seinfeld where Elaine is buying up all the sponges because they are being discontinued - she used the term "sponge-worthy" as in, "do I want to use one of my remaining sponges on this guy??" Anyway, our mommy friend said that she and her husband use the same thought process, only applied to having a night out and hiring a sitter. Would this "event" be worth finding and paying a sitter? Maybe. Maybe not.
Of course, that night was sitter-worthy. Again, melted cheese and chocolate - what more do I have to say? But there are some things that don't make the cut so easily, at least not for me.
- running errands alone: NEVER sitter-worthy
- doctor appointment: NOT sitter-worthy
- emergency doctor visit: sitter-worthy
- shopping: NOT sitter-worthy
- date night with the hubs: sitter-worthy
- club meeting (mom's group, book club, etc.): NOT sitter-worthy
- gym/exercising: NOT sitter-worthy
I think a lot more is sitter-worthy than you do! Just having time to organize in my self can be sitter-worthy, as are errands. I think maybe my perspective is different because I do have a full-time nanny so I'm used to getting help and I find it so efficient if I can run errands while the kids are napping - no sacrafice of time with them and so much less hassle.
ReplyDeleteFantastic question.
ReplyDeleteMy list is:
Dinner with hubby
Theatre with friends
And, of course, daycare so that I can go to work every weekday.
That's it. I've never hired a sitter for errands or ER visits or parties or dinners out with friends or MoM group meetings. My hubby thinks I need to hire a sitter when out of town friends visit, but honestly, I think most of them come here to see my girls. I DID go out to lunch with a friend from college on a weekend once, but Lucas happened to be home to watch the kids.
Mommy, Esq., do you think you'll drop the errands sitter when the naps come to an end? My kidlets don't nap any more.
Oh! I almost went to that MNO!! I had too much going on that day though :( Glad you had fun :)
ReplyDeleteSadly, I don't have many things that are sitter-worthy. I either get Mike to stay with the kids or we get my sister to come babysit. I *SO* need to find a good sitter!! :)
@Mommy Esq. - I think I might feel differently if I had an income. I realize that's irrational. It's not like we can't afford a sitter more often. But I feel guilty spending money as a matter of my nature and this is only exacerbated by the fact that I don't bring in any money to the household right now. Also, I wouldn't count your nanny as a sitter. Unless you ask her to stay late for something unrelated to your job - then maybe I'd count it.
ReplyDeleteFunny, the timing of this post!! My older twins have a field trip in a couple weeks and I can't accompany them because the teacher stated specifically that younger siblings are not allowed on the field trip. So I'm chatting about this with another mom and she casually asks, "Well, why don't you just hire a sitter for the little twins?"
ReplyDeleteShe was serious! I said, "Are you crazy? I'm not hiring a sitter to watch my little ones so I can go with my kids on a field trip! That's so not sitter-worthy!" I used that same exact term!!!!!
I think going out for dinner with a bunch of friends is totally sitter-worthy! Opportunities like that don't come along very often...for my friends to all get together, the sun, moon and stars practically have to be aligned.
Right now the only times I think are sitter worthy are out with my hubby, out with friends, and going to a conference for my professional license. Even then it's always my mom. I have never paid for a babysitter since my older son was born. Mostly it's for date night with hubby. I used my husband's cousin for a doctors appointment once since the weather was horrible and I did want to take all 3 for 1 kid's doctor's appointment. Maybe when they are older we'll get a real babysitter.
ReplyDeleteSee, I think I'm looking at it a little differently.
ReplyDelete*I* am sitter-worthy. My SANITY is sitter-worthy. Having two free hours, two times a week, is SO sitter-worthy. What I then use that time for is a little beside the point. Sometimes exercise, sometimes errands, and sometimes just a quiet hour in Starbucks.
Oh, and I FOR SURE get someone else to watch the kids so I can go to a doctor's appointment. Two curious, restless, inquisitive toddlers at the OB/GYN's office. NO THANK YOU.
M says he can always tell if it was a sitter day, because when he comes home, I'm actually smiling. *THAT* is sitter-worthy.
We've yet to pay anyone to watch our kids. My mother in law watches them every Monday afternoon while my husband is at meetings and I'm tutoring, and on the rare occasion that she's been unavailable, a neighbor (a wannabe grandma) has eagerly agreed to fill in. It's not that I'm against paying for a sitter, but for the cost, it would definitely have to be something very sitter-worthy. For the most part, we get by trading off who's with the kids when the other has something to do.
ReplyDeleteSo jealous you went to the Melting Pot. I've yet to try it, but pass it all the time and wish I had a reason to go. Let me know if you'd be up for going again.
Yeah, I was going to write a commment, and then I read Goddess's---and yeah, what she said. I have used a sitter for work, for doctor's appointments (ALWAYS), for shopping and running errands, for date night with my husband (or once a red sox game) and for going to the gym. Now, I have preschool time instead but it fills the same role. When the kids were little, I needed a little time each week that was mine. Even now, at three, a little Mommy alone time goes a long way.
ReplyDeleteThe only sitter we've used so far is family, and that has only been twice. How sad is that? We so need a regular date night.
ReplyDeleteFood is ALWAYS sitter-worthy in my book!! Exercise, never. Ha, that's pretty bad, huh? Actually, I've never hired a paid baby-sitter. We live very near all of my family, and someone is always willing to help out when I need it. They enjoy getting an evening with the girls, so it's win-win. We are incredibly lucky, I know.
ReplyDeleteHey! Thanks for visiting from Mommy Esq.
ReplyDeleteAlmost everything is sitter-worthy for me, except grocery shopping with twins in tow. No thanks.
I can't comment on your blog from my other two computers - it blocks this form. Others may have same problem (apparently I had it on my blog too so had to fix :) - tick first comment option)
I'm amazed - you and K both preggy after twins at same time. Planned? LOL
Congrats on 3rd trimester