In recent years, I’ve talked with several young moms who’ve said they “just don’t do childcare.” One mom told me that hiring a babysitter was “out of the question” when I suggested that a date night might relieve some ongoing tension with her husband. And her response wasn’t due to a lack of financial resources. Many families today decide not to let others care for their children as a matter of principle. Some parenting philosophies even suggest avoiding grandparents early on to preserve attachment bonds with the mother. Every family must prayerfully decide what’s best for them. But I want to share why my husband and I chose to let others care for our kids—and why we’ve never regretted it. Childcare Can Be a Blessing Here are five ways our family has been blessed by various forms of childcare. 1. Refreshment in Marriage Early in our marriage, a wise older couple told us, “Don’t ever stop dating.” That advice shaped our habits. At-home date nights are great, but there’s something uniquely refreshing about getting out—grabbing dinner, taking a walk, or simply taking a relaxing drive without a toddler asking for more snacks. Not to mention that kids benefit from seeing their parents go and enjoy each other. I still remember the security I felt when my parents hired sitters so they could play tennis together. 2. Spiritual Growth for Parents When my kids were young, childcare in our local church helped nourish my faith because I could hear an entire sermon or participate in a prayer meeting. It helped strengthen my connections with other believers because I could join gatherings like women’s Bible study or a small group. God never intended for us to merely attend church. He designed it as a place where we pour out and are poured into—a community of love, support, and spiritual nourishment (Acts 2:42–47). It’s difficult to have this level of connectedness, though, if we don’t have some adult time apart from our kids. Childcare also gave me the opportunity to be mentored by older women in my church. When money was tight, those older women sometimes were the childcare—they showed up to rock my baby or entertain my preschooler while I took a breath. Their hands-on help was one way I was discipled as a young mom. Letting others care for my kids didn’t make me less faithful. It helped me thrive. 3. Resilience in Kids Children are entrusted to us (Ps. 127:3), not owned by us. We’re called to teach them about God (Deut. 6) and train them up “in the way [they] should go” (Prov. 22:6). They will go. Each year is a gradual climb up the launch ramp—preparing them to take off with faith and resilience, not fear and dependence. That includes helping them build trust in people beyond Mom and Dad. Letting others care for my kids didn’t make me less faithful. It helped me thrive. In doing this, our kids learn to navigate different routines and personalities. Even more importantly, they learn what it means to be part of God’s people when childcare happens in the context of a Christ-centered community. 4. Spiritual Growth for Kids Some parents hesitate to use the nursery, Sunday school, or children’s church because they worry about separation, safety, or teaching quality. These concerns are valid. But these ministries have been essential to our kids’ spiritual growth. Children’s ministry isn’t spiritual babysitting—it’s part of the church’s call to disciple the next generation. The children’s programs at church gave our kids lifelong friendships, routines of faith, and spiritual mentors who act as pseudograndparents. My daughter still remembers the crafts, the songs, and the patient leaders who made church feel like home. I remember how hard it sometimes was to drop her off and how inconvenient it seemed with so much else going on. But I’m grateful we committed to integrating our kids into our church community. 5. Intergenerational Connections in Families Childcare provided by grandparents can be a significant blessing. While every family dynamic is different, involving grandparents can help deepen bonds, pass down stories, and give our kids a sense of rootedness. Grandparents aren’t just any old form of childcare; they can be an essential thread in the fabric of a child’s emotional and spiritual formation. Illusion of Control I was a nervous parent. Let me rephrase: I am a nervous parent. My instinct is hovering—just ask my adult kids. But I’ve learned that parenting in faith means releasing the illusion of control. Anxiety about our children—and specifically about childcare—often comes from fear of what might happen. But fear isn’t a godly driver of decisions (2 Tim. 1:7). While vetting caregivers wisely is nonnegotiable, refusing all help may signal misplaced trust. While vetting caregivers wisely is nonnegotiable, refusing all help may be a sign of misplaced trust. We must be cautious about popular parenting trends that warn against children’s ministry or allowing grandparents to babysit. Today’s “best practice” may be tomorrow’s outdated theory. Children gain confidence through the varied love and presence of extended family, including their church family. Kids don’t need us to do everything perfectly. They need us to trust Jesus, establish community, and make decisions from faith, not fear. Sometimes, the best way to care for them is by letting someone else care for them too. Childcare, when done wisely, isn’t just about getting a break. It’s about giving your family room to breathe, grow, and be blessed by the wider body of Christ.