Our next Sunday Hangout is planned for Sunday 15th, which is also the day of a plenary.
Normally we would probably have moved it, because it often is a bit much to have a full day plenary and a social event on the same day.
But we would like to propose an alternative for this time. This is because 1) @Sterre has mentionned the frustration for parents to not be able to both participate in a plenary because of child-care duties, especially at the moment with the project being in such a crucial state, 2) we feel that this might be something we might want to adress as a group, to make sure everybodyās needs are taken care of, and 3) we have been meaning to do a more kidās orientated hang-out for a while.
So we would like to propose that we organise a baby sitting system during the plenary, with activities for the kids, and maybe a goƻter at the end when we all re-gather. Sterre would be the co-creator for this event.
Here are some questions/topics that are open to reactions/propositions:
How could this work? Can we think of people who would be happy to come and babysit (at the moment, we are thinking maybe of you @TamaraFoubert as you offered once, but we wonder if reeflings might have more people in their sleeves who would be happy to spend a few hours with lovely kids?).
Or alternatively would the parents tag team? Or would other members be ok to tag team?
One question around that option is whether it would be ok for people to be present only for certain topics, or if that would mess up with the flow of the plenary (Iām guessing that if we have very distinct topics, it might not be a problem to make divisions, but that if topics overlap like in the last plenary, that might be more of a problem).
Related question: what do we expect the plenary of the 15th to be? Roughly what topics and how long? @reef-facilitation, @Lee , @reef-board (canāt find the proper tag for that anymore)?
Who would have a space to offer, where there would be 2 distincts spaces, and enough room for kids to potentially run around if needed?
How many kids are we talking? Parents please specify below.
And if we go ahead with this, would @reef-facilitation able to meet with us briefly to coordinate this as smoothly as we can?
Any other reactions?
This might be too complicated or need more prep, but letās see together where we can get to, because it feels like something important to take into consideration if we can. Let us know what you think, and maybe already fill in the poll below, with details below if needed. [edit 6/2: I added an option at the bottom for people who canāt participate, just so that we know everybody has seen the post)
I will be attending the plenary and would like to bring my kids to the activity
I would be able to babysit some of the time but I would want to take part in some of the topics
If needed, Iām ok to babysit for the whole morning
If needed, Iām ok to babysit for the whole afternoon
I know somebody would could babysit
I have ideas of activities for the kids
0voters
I wonāt be here at the pleanry or canāt help with babysitting
For future reference ( i am on a time out for the coming months ) : once Iām active again, I wouldnāt mind babysitting during certain plenary meetings. I enjoy being with children for a limited amount of time, and I have some experience facilitating activities with kids and teenagers.
@johannes already offered to do this plenary at his place. He also has a small ācinemaā so the kids could also watch a movie (unattended?) during a part of the meeting.
Itās difficult to get a better view on the agenda, but I would anticipate weāll need both the morning and the afternoon. We should know more in the beginning of next week.
An extra question for parents : would your kid come for the whole day or only part of it?
Great! That would be a good time filler!
As for supervision, itās up to the parents, but Iām sure we can find somebody who secretely loves kidās cartoon and doesnāt have enough occasions to watch them (I wonāt name namesā¦).
Are you able to bring a movie or do we need to find that somewhere?
Also you didnāt fill in the poll!
Thanks! I added that!
(PS: general notice - I feel that my posts are a bit over the top and might be a bit much for peopleās headspace, so Iām thinking I might start to do a TL,DR section! But sorry in the meantime!)
Hi @Sarah, since I missed the last two plenaries I would prefer to fully attend this meeting without babysitting duties. Happy to entertain the children another time
hello! sarah, great initiative. ugne will go to the meeting in the morning and i will come in the afternoon. so ada will be taken care of . so no need of babysitting. but thanks!
Here is a little update and practicals regarding next Sunday.
Baby sitters
Unfortunately for her, @Tamara is unwell (sending you loving thoughts of recovery ) and wonāt be able to help us.
There will be a need for baby-sitting only for the afternoon (3h?) so I think that should be doable for us.
We want to make sure that every household get what they need from the plenary. My first post now seems quite old, and stuff happened since then, so if you marked yourself as available for babysitting (thanks for that!) but you now feel important to be able to attend everything, just update the poll above. If in the end nobody is able to babysit, weāll work something out.
It will certainly be easier to decide on that once we know the topics of the plenary, but just wanted to put that out thereā¦
Kids activities
Movie : @parents are coordinating on that. We will need supervision for this as some parents feel more comfortable that way.
Baking: @LuciaM is coming up with a recipe. Action point for @plenary-goers : could somebody else take car of shopping?
Other activities? Apparently there are lots of toys at Joannes, so not sure if much extra is needed given the time we have to fill, but maybe @parents bring some drawing material/crafts along to fill in any gap if needed? I let you coordinate on this maybe.
Potluck lunch and/or goƻter
Itās not clear to me whether the morning part of the plenary is still definetely a thing, but either way, we could decide to keep lunch as an option. The other possibility is to meet after the plenary for a āgoĆ»terā (so afternoon tea/snacks), gathering back with the kids for a nice time all together. Maybe Iāll make polls bout all of that once we have clarity on the agenda and course of the day, but this way you already know what the options will be!
I love your posts, and all the initiatives coming from Team Community Life in general.
Having talked to quite some people the last few week(s) for a different number of reasons, I wonder if we couldnāt use the after time of the PM as a FM meeting. I have the impression there is a lot livingā¦
The last FM meeting is dating from half december if i remember well (and having very nice memories of it).
So maybe keep the diner together at lunch for those who want?
Thanks Els!
Iām not sure what you are suggesting? Make a pot luck lunch but not a potluck goĆ»ter? And have a FM meeting after the plenary instead?
Iāve been talking to team comlife and @Sterre about having a moment for more connection. And Iām not sure what form it is going to take, but I was thinking it would be an integral part of the plenary. Itās good to make space for these kind of things I think, they are important tooā¦ But I guess the agenda is too full?
If we do a meeting after the plenary, Iām not sure how many peopke will be able to stay, especially with the kidsā¦ But here is a poll to test that :
I can stay after the plenary for a goƻter
I can stay after the plenary for a FM meeting
I need to go at 4.30pm
0voters
And anyway, if we go on after the plenary, we will need a bit of a break and wonāt goĆ»ter be welcomed? Even if we donāt stop too long, fuel in the form of sugar will be nice!
yes, and maybe try to keep the PM a bit shorter than normal (but I donāt have a view on that).
I am afraid that a goĆ»ter after the PM, will lead to no FM meeting. I also think that some people feeling like a FM meeting would like to have it started āasapā after the PM to not to be home too late on a Sunday evening.
A potluck lunch before the PM and a FM meeting after (with a break between PM en FM meeting) gives the liberty to people to join the diner part (and not the FM meeting part) if they wish and/or
join the FM meeting part (and not the dinner part) if they wish
Sterre would be the co-creator for this event. 
) and wonāt be able to help us.