Calling crosser moms: childcare during races?

[obie]

Hi all,
I am proud mom to an awesome and mellow 3-month old, and I am eager to return to cyclocross this season (took last season off due to pregnancy, though I kept riding daily).

Just wondering if any crosser moms have any good tips for race-day childcare. Yes, my husband could watch him but wouldn't it be fun if we both got to ride? And yes, the other answer is to convert him to cross, but it hasn't worked so far!

Would it be weird to advertise to my team and the local cyclocross list to see if there's someone I could hire to watch my guy for an hour or two during warmup and the race? Sort of like a mother's helper except away from home? Maybe a racer has a teenager who is there at the race anyway?

Other ideas?

[Miranda]

Well, you could tie a cowbell around the kid's neck, and outfit him in a t-shirt-onsie that says "more cowbell! cuz my moma can kick your moma's butt!"... that way you would have both a cheering section, and a locator device for after the race... jk:p ...but creative multi-tasking you gotta say lol:D:rolleyes:.

The teenager idea at the race is not a bad one. Or whatever other fellow team mates might use for child care. Or whatever other babysitting options you have, grandma, nice neighbor, something.

Lack of child care sadly kept me away from the gym and other activities for a number of years. Good Luck!

[limewave]

Child care is tough no matter what you're doing. We run and mountain bike . . . so the race seasons are a little different than Cross. As much as I want to get into mountain bike racing and do the local race series, I can't race that many weekends so close together because of the childcare issue. Right now we keep our racing to "bigger" events.

We pick out about 3 big races in the year we want to do together, usually spread out over the year. Then we ask relatives to watch the kids for that entire day, or over night that weekend. Racing takes ALOT out of us and we've found that if we are both racing, neither one of us has the patience or energy to care for the kids.

We will also pick out 3 or so different races so we can watch the kids for each other. We do wish we were both racing, but that's just life for us right now. If there is a race we both really want to do, we'll alternate years.

I do think talking to some of the other local racers or event planners about babysitting is a good option. I actually started volunteering with our church youth group, I have to admit, partly to find babysitters!!!

[SheFly]

Would it be weird to advertise to my team and the local cyclocross list to see if there's someone I could hire to watch my guy for an hour or two during warmup and the race? Sort of like a mother's helper except away from home? Maybe a racer has a teenager who is there at the race anyway?

Um - not weird. Isn't that part of what your teammates are for? :D (For those not in the know, I am one of her teammates!). I think there are enough team members and SOs at the racers that you could find someone to watch him for a bit while you raced.

SheFly

[lunasara]

Agree with SheFly. That what teammates are for! Seriously. I don't have kids of my own but I race and watch a slew of the kids when moms and dads are racing, when I am not. The fun thing about cross is races going on all day long and everyone getting ready to race at different times, so there's always someone around. Good luck and have a great season!

[jdubble]

my husband is on the injured list this season, so we were joking about him setting up a tent and providing childcare for all my teammates :)

last year they had an official childcare tent at some of the races here in portland. you paid a set amount per hour, i think, and they had lined up a bunch of high school girls to watch the kiddos. i never ended up taking advantage of it since my husband and i raced at different enough times to juggle it on our own, but it sure sounded like a good idea to me!