Mum shares revolutionary 'childcare swap' system she does with her friend

After feeding the kids dinner and doing bedtime, they'll pick up around the house because 'a break isn't a break if you don't come home to a cleaner home.'

'It's child care swap night' Image: TikTok

Stay-at-home mums with little kids often don't catch a break from their work.

Finding time to leave the house by themselves, let alone have a real, proper date night, can be absolutely impossible.

That's why one mum, Jessica Secrest, and her like-minded best friend have joined forces and come up with a genius solution that gets them both some well-deserved time off every month. 

The pair have devised a 'childcare swap' system and they've got it pretty much down pat - and there are virtually no downsides. 

Read on to find out exactly how they do it. 

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Feeding the kids dinner, doing bedtime and cleaning each other's houses

In her now-viral clip, Jessica, who goes by the handle @applesauceandadhd on TikTok said, "It’s childcare swap night, which means that I’m at my friend Emily’s house.

"I fed her kids dinner, put them to bed, and now I’m waiting for her and her husband to get home from their date. And I told them to stay out as late as possible please, because last time they didn’t. We made them reservations at a tiki bar downtown and then they’re going to the movies."

Apparently, the logistics are simple.

"So, I come over and watch her kids put them to bed and do all the bedtime routines. My husband stays home with my kids, and then in the future, she’ll do the same to me," Jessica explained. 

'It doesn't feel like a break if you don't come home to a cleaner home'

After they do bedtime routine, the mum's like to leave the other person's house better than they found it. 

"We try to pick up [stuff]. It doesn't feel like a break if you don't come home to a cleaner home," she added. 

 The pair are so close that they even help each other out during the joys of things like potty training. 

"I have to pat myself on the back because we are on day four of potty training her daughter. And yay, she peed on the potty and we threw a big dance and we have been struggling today. It was a win.

"If you have friends with kids, you need to childcare swap."

She also shared how valuable it is to get that one night off a month to spend time with her husband. "It’s so nice to reconnect with your spouse and be something other than just a mum. Because I am a stay-at-home mum and sometimes it feels like all I am is waiting on kids, cleaning butts and wiping noses. And I never get to be with my spouse at all. Doing this once a month really helps."

'It's child care swap night' Image: TikTok

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'Genius. Now I just have to find some friends'

While the idea of community childcare is anything but new (it's literally been around forever) the video was still well-received by parents who said they'd love to see a revival of this type of ethos. 

"I love how you said 'We are on day four of potty training her daughter. You’re the village so many of us mums hear about but have never had," one said.

Another wrote: "Love this, it's amazing!!!"

"Genius. Now I just have to find some friends," wrote someone else. 

"This is brilliant.  What a fun idea. I love cleaning everyone's house but hate cleaning my own. It truly is easier to clean others' houses," commented a fourth. 

Originally published as Mum shares revolutionary 'childcare swap' system she does with her friend