My First 'Dad Hack'

So far I've just tried to figure things out with him and read up online when I had questions, but I've realized that one thing I do to avoid babysitters apparently wasn't thought about by co-workers so...

TLDR

Use daycare as your babysitter for things other than work

Requirements

• You have a daycare that you don't pay for by the hour
• You get adequate vacation and/or sick leave at work or have a flex schedule
• You want to do something without your baby

Details

Finding a babysitter takes time and money and is prone to error (what if your normal one is sick or busy, what if they're late, etc.). It's nice to be able to go out without the baby sometimes though.

Most daycares that we're aware of charge by the week, month, etc., instead of the hour. Thus, whether your baby is there from 8:00-6:00 or 9:30 - 3:30...5 days a week or 4 days a week...you pay the same amount.

Many jobs give you vacation and sick time or have flexible scheduling. I get something like 26 days/year that are not holidays while my wife gets somewhere around 30 days/year + every other Friday off (I'm aware that these are large amounts for the US).

Putting that all together...taking time off from work to go on a date while your baby is at daycare is cheaper and easier than trying to get a babysitter and going on a date after work or on the weekend.

We did it this week to go see Deadpool before it left theaters, and it was great. Shockingly...the theaters near us did not have infant showings for this movie...