Christmas is a time for families, and especially for children. Watching a child's eyes light up with the magic of the season makes the extra hassles associated with this time of year worth the trouble. When their children are old enough to enjoy the anticipation of Santa Claus's arrival, parents often feel a renewed sense of holiday spirit, through their kids.

But parents of infants and toddlers may not believe that they'll ever really enjoy the holiday season. Christmas shopping, party-going, travelling to family events-every holiday activity is just more difficult with a very young child in tow. Just moving around is problematic. There's never enough room for a stroller, anywhere, at Christmas time. And it's difficult, these days, to find a trustworthy baby-sitter who's affordable and available.

Simply because they have toddlers or infants to deal with, parents shouldn't have to dread the holiday season. They shouldn't have to sacrifice all of the parties and pageants, because they can't figure out child care. Especially since there are millions of parents everywhere in the same boat.

One way for parents to attain some free time for holiday activities and Christmas shopping, while ensuring trutworthy baby-sitting at the same time, is too form a holiday baby-sitting pool. Whether through church or daycare or pre-school, most parents of very young kids are acquainted with other parents in the same boat. Four or five sets of parents, helping each other, can make all of their holiday seasons pass more smoothly.

After Thanksgiving, a group of like-minded parents can share their holiday schedules, with an emphasis on their free days. Then, a schedule for all can be determined, and distributed among the group.

When a couple has a free day, they may then be asked to care for all of the children in the group, so that those parents can go shopping, or to a holiday party to which children aren't invited. As parents drop their kids at the host's house, they can also leave food and drink, to help with the cost of the afternoon.

Facing the hectic bustle of the Christmas season with an infant or a toddler can be daunting. But parents who cooperate with and help each other can make the holidays pass much more smoothly.