My brilliant plan to get a nanny this summer fell through, but I did find a day camp for my son this summer to help me find time to work from home. However, day camp is over, and it was only three days a week anyway. In between, the babysitting exchange has been a lifesaver.

The babysitting exchange works like this: I send my son to someone else’s house for an hour or two to play. The next day, that someone’s kid(s) come to my house. Honestly, though, it still gives me time to work from home when the other kids are here. This is because my son is thoroughly entertained. They play in the room next to my home office, and I can keep an eye on them while I work.

It’s a nice arrangement. My son’s at someone else’s house right now. And, happily, tomorrow when the neighbor kids come here, it will give him something to do. Of course, it is a good thing the neighbor kids are good kids…