Okay, there is NO easy answer on this one. But we do know, if you want moms of young children, and especially single moms, involved in your women’s groups, childcare has to be addressed.
PLEASE include any comments or ideas you find helpful in the comments box on this post so others can find solutions.
Helpful Childcare Ideas from Transformed Lives
Church Policies– Begin with checking with your church staff to discover if there are any policies concerning the issue. Be sure to abide by them. Have written guidelines for mothers so they will know ahead of time what is expected, including opening and closing times, as well as extra charges for late pick-up, if necessary. Inform mothers of your sick child policy as well.
Church Budget– The ideal situation is when the church budget covers child care during ongoing women’s activities as well as periodic special events. If this is not the case now, meet with the Financial Committee to plan for the future.
Funding Child Care– If your church does not have the funds for child care, there are creative ways to deal with this issue: Charge a minimal amount per child to defray the cost, ask for donations, make scholarships available, add the cost of the child to the ticket price, allow other ministries at your church to serve by helping you with childcare
Existing Child Care-Find out when your church normally offers paid childcare workers and schedule your events during this time if possible. You could also work together with another church and see if perhaps you could "exchange" children to enable one another to have childcare during your women’s events.
Finding Workers– If finding workers is a problem, there may be others in the church who could help out if they were enlisted such as youth members, college students, and fathers. Make sure you include your need for childcare in your publicity for the event so women know there is an opportunity for them to serve if they choose not to attend the event themselves. Perhaps if there were several sessions, women could alternate attending the session and helping with childcare!
Purposeful Child Care– Don’t let an opportunity to pass you by in reaching these children during the event! Offer special Bible activities and stories during this time. If there is a way to tie the lesson into what the mom’s are studying, it would provide an opportunity for the child and mother to discuss the lesson on the way home!
Check out Transformed Lives for more tips and advice on how to get creative with childcare at your church!
