Some co-op systems cut corners and it ends up being more work than necessary or not as convenient as it should be to take time off.  It might seem like a good idea to get moms together and handout poker chips for moms to trade for baby-sitting.  It sounds easy enough--why not? Before you do this ask a few good questions...

- Do I have to call around to all the moms looking for a sitter or can I make one call to someone coordinating the sit for me? Do I have to make cold calls if I am new?

- If I spend all my "points" and I want to earn some back--do I have to call around to find a mom that wants me to sit for them?  Will I be able to quickly earn "points" when I want?

- Is the co-op organized well enough to survive the years so that other moms will benefit?  Does the co-op depend on a pioneering leader that holds things together or is the operation compact and simple so it can be easily handed-off to the next mom?

- Do the jobs rotate? Can I do sits when I want or am I scheduled?  Can I fit the Jobs in even if I work full Time?

As you can see, it might be tempting to just pass out poker chips to trade for baby-sitting but this is just not enough to guarantee a successful co-op that moms will continue to use and support.

The Smart Mom's co-op system uses someone to coordinate the sits.  Even working moms report it is no trouble. There are many advantages to this. Coordinating sits is an easy job--and it provides tons of customer service to moms.  Moms will serve their turn as sit coordinator about once every 18 months depending on the size of the co-op.

A few final thoughts:  The Smart Mom's Co-op system has all the nuts and bolts needed--and lots of parts that are optional.  No other book or baby-sitting system provides everything you need.  You can be assured that the co-op you create will become a great service to you and your friends. A little care in selecting the right type of baby-sitting co-op now will payoff in a big way over the years.