We’re back!  After more than two months silence, we dragged out the microphones and recorded an episode, picking up exactly from where we left off.  Today’s topic of discussion: Who watches the kids when Mom and Dad have to selfishly turn away for a moment to answer a phone, or go to work, or visit a sick relative in hospital?  Also, absolutely no mention of why we’ve been quiet for so long. Not even an apology! (Okay so here it is: it’s all work’s fault. Allen has been finishing a major project which had him working six to seven days a week for over two months, and Cathrine has been watching five kids all by herself, and juggling deadlines with her editors while Allen was away.  We wanted to record more episodes for you, dear reader, we really did, but every time we set up the recording gear, one of us would pass out before we could begin.  We’re very sorry about that.)  So who watches the kids? So what do you do?  Hire a sitter? Ask a neighbour to just keep an eye out for a few hours? These days we’re all so much more aware of risks and dangers that we sometimes shy away from these options.  And in our modern world, we don’t live as close to our extended families as we once did, and it’s becoming more usual for all adults in a household to have to work a full time job if the bills are going to be paid.  Our own arrangement means that at least one parent is at home more often than not, but our distance from the city means that even a simple shopping run to get bread and milk would leave the kids unsupervised for up to an hour. So if you use the player below, or if you’ve subscribed to us through your favourite podcatcher, you’ll hear us grapple with this problem.  We discuss what we’ve tried over the years, what’s gone wrong and what’s worked.  We don’t promise answers that will fit your life, because there is no such thing as a universal solution for everybody’s unique circumstances, but maybe you’ll get some ideas from a couple of old pro’s! And as always, if you like the show, please tell a friend, share the episode on your favourite social media, click the likes, hearts and stars, and maybe even consider leaving us a review on iTunes.  We’d really appreciate it!  And if you have your own thoughts on the topic, or would like to tell us who watches the kids in your own home, leave a comment below!