We have a sitter. We have known her since she was in high school, and she is very responsible. She is a full time student and also runs her own business, although the nature of her business is such that it's totally shut down right now. Pre-COVID she only babysat for us for a few hours per week.

She owns her home, lives alone, and is taking the same distancing precautions as we are. We have guaranteed her full time hours in exchange for exclusivity. Yes, it's an increase in risk, but a very small one that we can live with.

A live-in nanny, quarantining with the family, is the only childcare situation that would be truly capable of not adding more germs. Otherwise, there’s cobbling together some sort of split or accepting risk.

Yes as long as neither she nor anyone in her family is seeing anyone else. I realize this is virtually impossible.

Look I’m going to get a lot of flak for this but this is what we are doing. DH is an essential worker and I’m teleworking with 2 kids 4 and under. We got a sitter to help out for a few hours every morning to get me through the busiest parts of my work days. Is it ideal? Of course not. But I still need to be productive at work in order to make a living. And the sitter needs to be making money too for her own personal reasons.

If we end up sheltering in place we will obviously go without the help at that point.

f you have to work, you might have no choice. Pick someone you know and who's family you trust.

I was thinking the same. So far DHs work has been light enough to do most of the childcare but next week he is back to full work.

If by miracle, I DONT lose my job then I have no idea how to occupy a 3 yr old 5 days a week, 8 hrs a day until July when things reopen. My job is not flexible. If I lose my job, then babysitter is a moot point but then I can’t pay my mortgage or food....

It’s an impossible situation.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It would definitely mean you are no longer practicing social distancing. You would be accepting the risk of transmission to either family, and if she is sitting for other families then to those as well. It's a calculated risk, I know the need for childcare right now is critical too.

The public health answer is no, don't do it.

+1. The lack of common sense around this is mind-blowing.

That’s too strong. Social distancing isn’t an either or. There are degrees. Does having a babysitter introduce some risk? Sure. But it is a far cry from congregating with large groups of people.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It would definitely mean you are no longer practicing social distancing. You would be accepting the risk of transmission to either family, and if she is sitting for other families then to those as well. It's a calculated risk, I know the need for childcare right now is critical too.

The public health answer is no, don't do it.

+1. The lack of common sense around this is mind-blowing.

It's not Jack of common sense, it's desperation because working parents are scrambling to line up imperfect alternatives because daycares and schools are closed.

Anonymous wrote:It would definitely mean you are no longer practicing social distancing. You would be accepting the risk of transmission to either family, and if she is sitting for other families then to those as well. It's a calculated risk, I know the need for childcare right now is critical too.

The public health answer is no, don't do it.

+1. The lack of common sense around this is mind-blowing.

Don’t do it, OP. Hang in there alone for a few more weeks please.

It would definitely mean you are no longer practicing social distancing. You would be accepting the risk of transmission to either family, and if she is sitting for other families then to those as well. It's a calculated risk, I know the need for childcare right now is critical too.

The public health answer is no, don't do it.

Our babysitter is available to help watch the kids while we work from home. This would be helpful.

And I've seen ads for extended staff staff, and others offering sitting services.

But how would you think about this, during social distancing? Our sitter, is a long time sitter, high school
student, who is reliable with regards to hand-washing etc. Her family is also practicing social distancing, and
hand washing, etc.

Would you have a regular sitter, in your home multiple days a week? My guess is we might try for a week or so,
but when everyone is told to shelter in place, we stop.