There is a better way
I’m Diane Moca, and I’m a mom in the suburbs of Chicago. At the start of the LAST recession, my kids were 8 and 6 years old, and we were facing major financial challenges. At that time, I was so crazy busy trying to make enough money to stay afloat that the stress started affecting my health. I should have taken a break now and then, but I didn’t recognize how much I needed that. I also knew I couldn’t afford to pay a sitter any time I needed help.
My mission is to help you
Now I have an empty nest for the first time, with both my kids at college. And I am on a mission to help other moms avoid the kind of stress that almost ruined my marriage and my life.
Today I see so many moms experiencing a similar crisis during the pandemic because they are facing financial worries and the daily strain of having to be a mom and a teacher. I know from experience that these moms are overwhelmed and desperately need an occasional break from kids, but they may not be comfortable paying someone to take that break. So my vision is to relieve the stress and bring a little bit of calm back into the lives of moms by offering childcare for $1 per kid per hour through a childcare trading service called MomSub.
“These moms are overwhelmed and desperately need a break from kids.”
The Sharing Economy For Moms
It works like this. When you want someone to watch your kids for a few hours -- maybe because you have an important meeting or a doctor appointment or you just want to go for a run -- we find another mom ready to help you. This mom will be someone in your phone contacts, or your friends’ contacts, or someone whose kids go to the same school as your kids, or another mom in your own neighborhood or town. We do all the scheduling and arranging.
This mom is able to help you because she is already supervising her own kids and doesn’t mind having one or two more kids join them at the same time. If it’s during remote learning, her kids and your kids can all do it together -- and you get a break. We know which moms are available when you need help, because we have gathered and organized all of the moms’ schedules.
When you join, we will be in touch with you and the other moms in the group to find out when each of you can repay these favors by watching someone else’s kids at the same time you’re with their own kids. Yes, it’s a little more work to supervise, say, four kids instead of two kids. But you’ll be helping another mom and helping yourself. You see, you earn credits every time you do a favor, and then you use those credits the next time you need someone to watch your kids.
A safe and super affordable solution
You will be getting childcare help only from a safe and verified mom. We will authenticate and screen all the moms -- just like Sittercity or Care.com does with its nannies and sitters.
We will also make any introductions needed and make sure the two moms have communicated with each other before any childcare commences, so both moms have discussed allergies or other issues.
MomSub is currently running a free trial program in the Chicago metropolitan area and will be expanding beyond to other cities. If you want to join our community and get notified when we are coming to your city, click the link below to take the first step to bringing calm, confidence and clarity back to your life!
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