MFP-AESC_Parent-Helper_AIt is often difficult to parent alone, and there are times you need a little help. Even if you don’t work outside of your home and don’t require child care, there will be times when you want to get out and about. You need to have a babysitter you can trust with your precious children! One way to do this is to ask a young teen to start coming to your home to be a parent helper. Your colleagues at work or your neighbors may know of someone to ask. When your parent helper comes to be with your child, you will be there, too. You can ask your parent helper to play with your children and help with some of the everyday tasks such as getting the children dressed for the day, feeding them lunch, and reading with them. As your trust in your parent helper grows, you can leave for short periods of time; for example a quick run to the convenience store to buy more bread. As your confidence grows, you can leave your parent helper for longer periods of time. This is a great way for you to practice self-care, worrying less about what taking time for you means for your child. And, it is a great way to find a perfect babysitter for your child!