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Re: [RC] daycare at rides - heidi

Childcare at a ride persents incredible problems and in the end, it is
NOT  -  I repeat NOT - the job and likely not the desire of any RM to
take on that   parental burden.


I agree wholeheartedly with this part of your post.  It isn't the RM's
job!  OTOH, if the RM happens to know somebody who likes to do childcare
and wants to earn a few bucks, I see nothing wrong with the RM offering
such a service.


Babysitter  frankly do  not
belong at a ride if that is their sole function - paid childcare.  IMHO,
that  should be done at home.


While this may be true in many cases, I've also seen several very
conscientious endurance riding couples who are also very conscientious
parents, and who bring a sitter along to the rides with them.  This
enables them to travel a distance from home and still spend time with
their kids--they are only "gone" for the duration of the ride, not for the
duration of the entire trip!  One couple who did this very well was Lew &
Hanna Hollander--I can remember their kids as pre-schoolers, well in hand
with a babysitter who traveled with them, but not having to be away from
their parents for an entire weekend.

That said, and even though I don't think RM's should HAVE to babysit, one
of my fondest memories as a ride manager was one year on the Lost Wagon
Train multiday when a rider from Montana had arranged for a sitter to meet
her at the ride, and the sitter did not show up.  I volunteered, and I had
a wonderful time with her 9-month-old baby daughter, complete with car
seat, diaper bag, bottles, stroller, etc.  I think John Teeter has a
picture of me tending a gate a few miles from the start with a chubby,
smiling baby on my hip...  <g>  There is quite a story that goes with that
day, but the bottom line was that I thoroughly enjoyed having my little
"tag-along" that day.  :-)

Heidi



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Replies
Re: [RC] daycare at rides, SandyDSA