Can Gen Y cope with babysitting kids for a day?

By MAMAMIA TEAM

What happens when you take three twenty somethings, remove them from the hipster inner suburbs of Sydney and give them a few kids to look after for a weekend?

That’s what we’re going find out in a new series of posts we’re calling ‘The CHUX Challenge’.

Just as an FYI, you should know that this post is sponsored by CHUX. But all opinions expressed by the author are 100% authentic and written in their own words.

The aim?
To test whether today’s Gen Y can cope with whatever life Chux at them. And to see if our Mamamia mums can sit back and have a laugh.

The game?
Motherhood. We’re going to take three childless Mamamia writers and have them swap lives with three Mamamia mothers for a day.

The contestants?
The twenty-somethings (who think they’ve got this in the bag):

Rosie, Mamamia Rogue Editor. Rosie is 27 years old, shares a two bedroom apartment in the inner-city and considers wine a food-group. She also prioritises TV above all else and doesn’t understand people who say ‘they don’t have time’ to watch it.

Kahla, iVillage writer. Kahla is 24 and lives with two housemates in inner Sydney and struggles enough to manage her own life (cereal for dinner, anyone?) let alone that of a child’s. Due to the distinct lack of kids in her life, she’s far more comfortable and experienced with infant animals than with infant humans – although she does think they’re adorable.

Lucy, Mamamia Deputy Editor. Lucy is 26 and lives with three others in a Redfern share house, rides one of those hipster bikes with no gears and regularly forgets to go grocery shopping. Lucy boasts that she was once loved babysitting kids, but the truth is that her version of babysitting kids involved turning up after the kids had gone to bed, raiding the pantry and watching TV until the parents came home.

The mothers (who probably fear for the safety of their kids):

Kate Hunter, Mamamia contributing editor. Kate is a mum of three – Ben, 12, Annabel, 9, and Sally, 7. As for what she’s expecting from the CHUX Challenge:

‘So Mum,’ said Annabel, 10, ‘Who’s this lady who’s taking us out for the day?’

‘Her name is Rosie,’ I said.

‘And is she nice?’ asked Sally, 7. ‘Does she like children?’

‘I think so. I haven’t actually met her. But I talk to her, on Skype.’

‘You’re sending us into the city for the day with someone you know from THE INTERNET?’ This from Ben. At 12, he’s all about digital citizenry.

‘It’ll be fine,’ I assured them.

Our plan was to take Rosie and the kids into the city then leave them to do the things I avoid: Laser Tag, tenpin bowling, lunch in a food court. Jim and I would be around the corner, lunching in a restaurant by the river.

What could possibly go wrong?

Jo Abi, iVillage writer. Jo is a mum of three – Phillip, 9, Giovanni, 5, and Katerina, 4. As for what she’s expecting from the Chux Challenge:

The biggest challenge I think Kahla will face is keeping track of all three children. It’s easy to monitor one or two but three is a challenge. I am used to it but for someone who doesn’t have children, it is difficult. I plan to hide around the corner in case one of the children runs off. I want to constantly text her but that might distract her. Because she is a novelty I think the children will go easy on her and my oldest will help her and give her advice. If she look after them ten times their real personalities would surely emerge. I think 30 minutes in we’ll both relax a bit…hopefully. I just want to sit down and drink a coffee uninterrupted. Surely she can handle them for that long!”

Bec Sparrow, Mamamia contributing editor. Bec is a mum of three – Ava, 4, Fin, 19 months and Quincy, 3 months. As for what she’s expecting from the Chux Challenge:

What was my plan when Lucy came to babysit my three kids?

To drink pina coladas at a bar in the city. To read more than 2 paragraphs of a novel. To have a shower and go to the bathroom without being followed by small children and forced to answer questions like “How does our brain know how to tell us things? Who tells your brain what the answers are? Why is it so small? What is it soft?”

Or to, you know, just sleep. Sleeeeeeeeeeeep.

The kids were all fine about it. Quincy (12 weeks) was oblivious. Fin (20 months) wasn’t phased. And Ava (4 years) just wanted to know if Lucy had long hair (strangely important to her) and, you know, spoke English.

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So will Jo be able to enjoy a coffee uninterrupted? Will Bec finally get a chance to catch up on her reading list? And will Kate’s kids be okay with the stranger from the internet?

Stay tuned – we’ll be finding out if Lucy, Kahla and Rosie really can handle whatever life Chux at them soon.