I cant/dont want to work outside of the home but I do nanny a little boy ( who will be FOUR this week!). I dont do it for the money. She pays me under $5/hr, MOST sitters/nannies want $10+/hr PER CHILD and more if they have special needs or holidays or weekends. Its insane. Daycares are $100+/week PER CHILD.
We have no family either so we either dont go out or wait until they were enough to be left or they come with us. ( i have totally toted an infant in a ring sling to a fancy cocktail type place). #GottaDoWhatYouGottaDO.

Wow-- $100/week! If it were that cheap here we could definitely afford it. (although if you have multiple kids, I am sure that adds up.) Maybe we should move to Ohio. Seriously. I was just reading about how the cost of housing is so much cheaper there too. Sometimes salaries are higher here, so the cost of living/childcare is easier for some, but I work in social services-- not the most lucrative career. So perhaps I could make about the same amount somewhere where it is cheaper to live.
I thought about maybe getting a babysitter, but the minimum that babysitters usually get here is $15/hour and I also worry how reliable it would be. I think we will stick with having DH do it for now and find other ways to make extra money. That is really nice of you to help out by doing it for under $5/hour!