Personally I wouldn’t leave my kids with a complete stranger. I would consider to ask your MIL and skip dance and swimming lessons for a months since she doesn’t drive. Alternatively you could arrange a taxi or uber

I can’t believe you’re considering leaving your kids with a complete stranger while you go on holiday! And not a little holiday but you are actually leaving the country! I couldn’t do that

A post of November ’13 !! I bet my answer wouldn’t help you anymore. Tell us, how was your trip ? And did you find suitable child minders ?

I would ask a close family member to move in rather than a stranger. Better for the children.

This is an old post and if you are reading this – I hope you had a wonderful trip to South America. A remarkable place!

No other family members or close friend you could ask? I was lucky, my mother in law had no hesitation minding my kids…ever? She really was lovely

It’s a tough one. I guess it depends on how much you are able to spend on a nanny or au pair? Could you rethink the holiday and take them with you but make sure you stay in a couple of places with a kids club type set up so you get to go out and get some couple time?

there are some good comments here

Could your girls just do without after school activities for a month?

Hope you have managed to find someone.

It is possible you could advertise in the paper for someone, of course you would check all their references and for blue card first.

Wondering how you went with this? I’d possibly ask one of my sisters…but would likely take ours with us as a learning experience

Maybe take them with you, or arrange with other parents that do dance etc to take your kids, and allow the grandparent to have them the rest of the time

i personally couldn’t leave my kids i would be to stressed the whole time…

Personally I’d take them with me but maybe you could have your mother in law take care of them and someone else could take them to their swimming and dancing lessons?

Have you come up with any good ideas as yet?

With the cost of child minding it would probably be easier to take the kids with you and leave them in daycare at the hotel or resort.

Did you find something?

Maybe a close friend might be able to help?

Personally I would take them with me! We have had so many amazing family adventures together…its a huge part of what makes a family bond!
If you don’t want to take them to South America I would wait until the next significant birthday for that particular trip. Our kids are little for such a short time its a shame not to share life’s adventures with them.

But if you really, really want to go, leave them with your mother in law, a few weeks without dancing lessons, swimming lessons etc is not going to hurt. Much more important that they are with family who love and know them!