My wife and I are fortunate to have grandparents fairly close by who adore our kids and are eager to help with babysitting. They do a great job and we trust them enough to be leaving our kids with them later this year while my wife and I head to Hawaii (our first real full-week vacation in 14 years - and without the kids too).

We also have a few gals from our church network of friends who we use occasionally. Recently we even received a letter of recommendation from the local YMCA, certifying that our next door neighbor's 13-year old daughter had passed their babysitter training and certification program. I was pretty impressed that she had taken the program and learned some valuable child care skills, including CPR and basic first aid.

This might be something worth looking into if your child is 13 years or older. It might also be a great way for them to earn some extra money over the summer months while school is out.

I know that not all of you have convenient babysitting options available however. I've spoken with several other dads (and moms) at work who don't have family in the area, or who don't know of any friends with children who are old enough to babysit.

One mom I talked with said she and her husband hadn't been on a kid-less date in SEVEN years! That's most likely on the far extreme, but it made me wonder what we would do if we were in their shoes.

Speaking of babysitting options, I recently found out about a national babysitting service called SitterCity. They're a babysitting match-making service with literally hundreds of thousands of sitters nationwide. They do full background checks with a four-step screening process for applicants. I was also impressed that SitterCity recently partnered with PETCO to provide babysitters who can also watch your pets - not a bad idea if you ask me, and it gives SitterCity even more credibility.

Dads, if you're reading this I'd love to hear from you. Would you be comfortable using a service like SitterCity to get a night out with your wife?

They seem trustworthy, and there's a link on their site where you can read ratings and testimonials from people who have used their services. Here's one that stood out to me:

I have lived in Fairfield County for two years and have been unable to find a babysitter. I learned of your site in Kiplinger's magazine. I logged in, posted a job and had eight replies within a day. I interviewed one candidate and hired her for a job that very day. She was great. My kids really liked her and my husband and I can have a life again! Thank you so much for a wonderful service.
-Catherine L., Trumbull, CT

Check out their web site when you get a chance; I'd like to know what you think.

And if you already have a trusted babysitting source, but it's been a while since you've planned a date with your wife, then consider this your wake up call!