Five Reasons You Need Childcare When You Work from Home

Work from Home still requires childcare

Brie ReynoldsContributed by guest blogger Brie Weiler Reynolds, Director of Online Content at FlexJobs, and a work-at-home mom to one-year-old Jack.

A common misconception about working from home is that you can finally give up that expensive child care, since you’ll be home all day. Don’t get me wrong–there are plenty of perks to working from home, many having to do with your kids.

You’ll probably get to spend more time with them because you’re no longer commuting. Attending school events and appointments becomes a bit easier as you have more control over your time. When your child is home sick, you can stay fairly productive while caring for them. That said, whether you’re working part-time or full-time from home, quality child care is still really important.

Five reasons you need childcare when you work from home

  1. Multitasking is a myth.
    No matter how skilled you think you might be in this particular area, studies consistently show that it is basically impossible to multitask. Instead, when we think we’re doing multiple things at once, we’re actually semi-tasking. Rather than focusing on one thing, we are partially focusing on a variety of things, and being less productive in the process. When it comes to your children and work, partial focus is simply not enough. Especially when you have younger children who aren’t yet skilled at keeping themselves busy, you need childcare so you don’t have to split your focus between your kids and your job, making working from home easier.
  2. Your kids will always act up at the worst moment: conference calls.
    If your job requires regular phone calls, video conferencing, or any combination of those, it’s really important to give yourself a quiet environment from which to conduct those. Your professional reputation can be harmed if your children are easily heard during conference calls on a regular basis. Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule, and when school is closed or a child is home sick, these sorts of interruptions might be overlooked. But it’s important to treat your home like your office when you telecommute, and that includes having your children well-occupied by a qualified sitter or nanny, or finding a great daycare nearby.
  3. You can’t predict what every workday will be like.
    While you might think that your job is fairly repetitive and easy to predict, there will be days when nothing goes as planned. It’s very hard to adjust and be productive when you also have to worry about what to do with your kids while you work from home. For all of those times when work throws you a curveball, you will be thankful you have childcare in place.
  4. You deserve to be taken seriously.
    If you truly want a career, it’s important to get your family’s support for your work-from-home job. This includes making it clear to your children that when you’re at work, you aren’t to be disturbed unless it’s an emergency. Setting firm boundaries between parent-at-work and parent-at-home is critical when you are a work-from-home parent. On the other side of the coin, you deserve to take yourself seriously. And by having a childcare plan in place, you are also letting yourself be free to be the best professional you can be, and demonstrating to your boss that you’re a serious telecommuting professional.
  5. Your kids will probably be happier.
    Imagine this scenario from your kids’ perspective. Would you rather spend all day trying to get your parents’ attention but only having success some of the time, or doing fun activities and playing with a sitter? When the workday is over, you can spend some serious quality time with you kids, and the old adage is true–absence makes the heart grow fonder. Those moments will be even more delightful if you’ve been able to focus completely on work during the day.

Instead of playing a constant game of attention-tug-of-war all day, every day, give yourself permission to focus on your career, let your child have fun with a caregiver, and look forward to those quality hours you’ll spend together at the end of the day.

Brie Weiler Reynolds is the Director of Online Content at FlexJobs and a work-at-home mom to one-year-old Jack. FlexJobs is the award-winning site for telecommuting and flexible jobs, listing thousands of pre-screened, legitimate, and professional-level work-from-home, flexible schedule, part-time, and freelance jobs. Brie provides career and job search advice through the FlexJobs Blog. Learn more at www.FlexJobs.com.

Looking for a babysitter or nanny? Join UrbanSitter to browse profiles, sort by pay rate, and book jobs online.

Childcare Jobs: The 6 Most Popular Types of Caregivers

childcare jobs

Childcare jobs come in a wide range of different capacities. Whether you’re a parent determining which type of childcare is right for your family or a caregiver deciding what sort of childcare job you’re looking for, it is essential to understand the differences in order to make the right choices for your preferences and lifestyle. Here are some of the most common types of caregivers.

Types of Childcare Jobs

  1. Au pair
    An au pair is a young adult from a foreign country who lives with a family and helps to care for children and do housework in return for a monetary allowance (and the opportunity to learn the family’s language and culture). An au pair will almost always reside in the family home and be treated as another member of the family. Au pairs are enrolled in post-secondary education and their labor is regulated by the Department of State. Hiring an au pair requires extensive commitment on the parts of both the au pair and the hiring family. The process sometimes requires a large sum of money up front, and employers may be expected to provide healthcare and transportation to au pairs during their stay. In exchange, the family will benefit from exploring a new culture and exposing their children to the world from the convenience of their own living room.
  2. Babysitter
    A babysitter is a caregiver who comes to a family’s home to watch children for a limited number of hours or sometimes overnight. Some babysitters work out of their own homes. Most are hired by families on an occasional basis and are paid an hourly rate. More often than not, babysitters work for many different families as their schedules permit. While babysitters’ ages fall into a wide range, all sitters on UrbanSitter are at least 18 years old.
  3. Doula
    A doula is hired to help provide comfort and care to a woman and her family before, during, and/or after childbirth. A doula attends births and imparts constant emotional and instructional support during labor. Doulas are trained professionals, but are not doctors. Usually a doula’s job is done once the baby is born, although some doulas offer breastfeeding instruction, night nurse services, and even postpartum care for a period after the birth.
  4. Mother’s helper
    A mother’s helper is a pre-teen or teenager who is not yet experienced enough or old enough to watch children alone. A mother’s helper may be a neighbor, relative, or other acquaintance of the child’s parent(s) who has expressed an interest in babysitting or caring for the child(ren) in the home. A mother’s helper may be paid or unpaid, but a parent is present for the duration of the caregiving period in order to give guidance and/or supervision. Sometimes mother’s helpers are hired to do light chores around the house or run errands in addition to (or in place of) watching children.
  5. Nanny
    A nanny is hired for a set period of time and is usually given a regular schedule, and may reside in the family’s home (“live-in”) or travel to the family’s home for shifts (“live-out”). Nannies are paid an agreed-upon salary at regular intervals, and most nannies consider childcare their full-time work obligation. However, some are employed part-time according to the family’s needs and are able to take on outside work.
  6. Night Nanny
    A night nanny may be the perfect solution for families with newborns. These caregivers generally come to the family’s home after dinner to help with the new baby’s bedtime routine and provide support to the family overnight, whether rocking a colicky baby back to sleep, heating a bottle and handling night feedings, or helping soothe toddlers back to sleep after a newborn’s cries wake everyone in the house. Parents of multiples may find night nannies especially helpful. Night nannies are usually hired for a short period of time after a new baby arrives, to help a household adjust to their new overnight routine, allow families to get a little extra sleep, or to give new parents nighttime guidance. Some night nannies may have nursing experience as well.

UrbanSitter is an excellent resource if you are looking for childcare jobs or childcare solutions. Good luck in finding your perfect fit!

How Technology Can Help Solve 5 Common Problems of Busy Families

 You may be able to take some comfort in knowing that you are not alone in your struggle to navigate the often wild and rapid waters of everyday family life.

There are five common problems most parents confront in their day-to-day lives that can be at least alleviated, if not solved, with the help of an app. We’ve scoured, reviewed and talked with parents to find favorite apps that could bring a welcome, helping hand to your world.

Five Apps for Busy Families

1. Managing your family’s activities and calendars.

UpTo Modern Calendar
UpTo Modern Calendar

Chances are you have your preferred calendar method pretty down pat by now, whether it’s a paper day planner, Outlook, Facebook or another calendar you can access via your mobile device. All are tried-and-true, obviously effective methods of keeping your calendar. But when it comes to keeping track of calendars for several members of your family, you may benefit from taking it a step further.

A popular go-to calendar app is Cozi, an awesome solution for organizing your day-to-day calendar in a simple format, adding after-school activities, meals, to-do lists, chores, social events and more with ease. But, there’s a newcomer that’s caught our attention as a real productivity booster. UpTo is an app that streams public calendars, such as college and pro sports schedules, TV show schedules, new movie release dates, concerts and other important events you’d like to be reminded of, and lists them alongside your own events. So, you not only remember to take your son to the dentist, you also don’t miss the season premiere of your favorite TV show or your alma mater’s big game. You know, the important stuff.

2. Getting a decent dinner on the table.

Epicurious Shopping List and Recipes
Epicurious Shopping List and Recipes

Stop scouring the Web for what to do with those chicken legs you bought on sale or for that fantasy recipe that you’ll be able to whip up in minutes. Epicurious Recipe and Shopping List app is a one-stop-shop for nearly any recipe you could need.

It’s a virtual smorgasborg of more than 30,000 recipes pulled from around the world, all of which are divided into categories that are organized by skill level and theme such as Quick and Easy and Kid-Friendly. Not only can you find recipes on the go, you can also add ingredients to a shopping list and save your favorite recipes. It’s quick and easy to pull up the shopping list when you walk into the grocery store. You’ll be instantly prepared to pull off any dinner, last-minute throw-together or otherwise. If you prefer to have a hard copy of your recipes while you cook, there’s the Epicurious app for an HP printer that enables you to send recipes directly to your printer.

UrbanSitter Mobile
UrbanSitter Mobile

3. Staying connected with your spouse.

We’re a bit partial to this one, but it’s so good at simplifying your life as a parent, we have to toot our own horn and remind you of it again – The UrbanSitter iPhone App. It’s incredibly valuable to be able to find and book a babysitter, even exchange logistics with her, while on the go.

You simply use the app to see who is available to care for your kids when and where you need her, read profiles, check parent reviews, and send him or her an instant request.

It’s an app that can put the spontaneity back into your life, ensuring that you never have to turn down an invitation for a dinner with your spouse or a coffee with a friend.

4. Taking care of a newborn while juggling an already hectic life.

“Momnesia” may not be a medically documented condition, but forgetfulness and that feeling of losing track of what you were in the middle of doing is a reality for most parents – first-times and old pros, alike.

Baby Log

Keeping track of all the necessities, such as when and how you last fed your baby (bottle or breast), when you changed a diaper, how long your baby last slept, and when you need to do it all again is mind-boggling – especially to sleep-deprived, pulled-in-every-direction parents.

Baby Log is an ultimate baby log app. It holds unlimited data for all your baby’s activities, and can be used for multiple babies, too. Let it keep track of it all, so you can enjoy a bit of peaceful time with your baby, instead of fretting over the schedule. It also offers a nursing or nap timer, and provides a place to record milestone, growth or precious moments.

5. Archiving the memories so you don’t forget a minute.

When it comes to dealing with the masses of artwork and school projects that flood your home once you have a preschooler or school-age child, many parents are fans of Artkive. It allows you to take photos of your child’s masterpieces, share the work and archive it so you can show your grandkids what their Mom created when she was three.

MomentGarden

But what do you do if your little one isn’t yet producing any art, yet the pressure of just keeping up the baby book is enough to put you over the edge? Meet Moment Garden. It’s an app that allows you to keep pictures, track weight and growth, record all trips to the doctor and keep first-time events of your baby on your phone, and privately share them with your closest family and friends. With a single click, you can even turn your Moment Garden into a Moment Book, a beautifully printed book like that baby book you never had time to finish!

We’d love to know which apps you find indispensable in the fight to keep your head above water in the fun, but sometimes frantic world of parenting. Give us a shout!

Find and book trusted babysitters at UrbanSitter.

Five Reasons to Hire a New Babysitter

finding_a_babysitterAs we head into the final days of summer, why not shake up your routine by substituting your regular babysitter with someone new? You might not be so keen on rocking the boat, but it’s smart and proactive to meet and hire new babysitters. Here’s why:

Why Try a New Babysitter?

  1. You need to build your sitter repertoire. Think of a fortified bank of sitters as a critical piece of your parenting arsenal.  You don’t want to leave yourself vulnerable by depending solely on one or two sitters for your childcare needs, especially if it takes your child some time to warm up to someone new. Knowing you have a solid bevy of babysitters you know and trust at your ready is a nice insurance policy. It will ultimately save you from last minute scrambles when your babysitter cancels.
  2. Your kids will benefit from a change of pace.  Think of how excited your child will be to meet a new babysitter with a shared interest. With UrbanSitter, you can find someone with your must-haves–someone who is CPR-certified, is comfortable driving carpool, can cook your family dinner – and you can also check profiles to see who might be active in theater, coach a soccer team or lifeguard at a local pool.
  3. You are getting a trial run for future needs. It’s hard to imagine how your child’s needs will change in the not-so-distant future, but kids grow and mature quickly and their needs change right along with them. For instance, you might soon need a babysitter who can handle carpool, help with homework or if you are expecting a new addition to your family you will soon need someone who is comfortable with a newborn.  Meeting new babysitters now will help you prepare for the future.
  4. Easier transitions later. If you know you’ll be hiring a new babysitter for after-school care or someone to help with the baby a few mornings a week once older siblings are back to school, it’s nice to ease into the change and let your child get to know them little by little.  Even if you only plan to book a new sitter for occasional needs, it’ll help your child and the sitter begin to build a relationship, which ultimately means fewer tearful hand-offs down the road.
  5. Your babysitter’s needs and schedule are likely to change, too.  No one can predict the future. Your sitter’s availability could change if she decides to take, for example, a class or a second job, or she could move out of town.  You won’t want to be left in a lurch if her availability no longer matches your needs.  It’s never easy to lose a babysitter your family depends on, but the process of finding a replacement is a lot easier if you have a few back-up sitters at the ready.

Sold on the importance of trying a new sitter but not sure how to find her? The next time your regular sitter is unavailable ask her to recommend a friend with babysitting experience.  She’ll be helping out a friend and a loyal employer.  You can also ask neighbors and friends for recommendations, post an ad on local college job boards, and of course, check UrbanSitter to review scores of sitter profiles and see who’s available when you need the help.

Find and book trusted babysitters with UrbanSitter.

5 Ways a Babysitter Can Help This Summer

find a summer babysitter

Now that the kids are home from school for the summer, you’re faced with a whole different set of childcare needs. If you need full-time childcare for the summer, you likely have it covered by now. For the rest of us who could use a hand over the next few months, here are some helpful ways a babysitter might be just what’s needed.

5 Ways to Make the Most of a Summer Babysitter:

1. Camp and Activity Chauffeur

A summer schedule that includes day camps and summer activities, such as lessons or tutoring, has the potential to turn you into a prisoner of your own car. Instead of enjoying a relaxing break from school-year routine and obligation, you’re pulling your hair out trying to mastermind the logistics of transporting numerous children to numerous locations at undoubtedly conflicting times. Hire a sitter to help with the load.

UrbanSitter has many trustworthy sitters who are more than willing to drive your children using their own car or yours. Do a babysitter search and filter to see only candidates who have a vehicle and will drive kids.

2. Mother’s/Father’s Helper

For the times when an extra pair of hands makes all the difference in the world. Hire a babysitter to play with the kids while you make an impressive dinner for guests (or even a simple one for your own family), help entertain a load of visiting friends and cousins, take over while you tackle a DIY home project that’s you’ve been itching to get to (turn the baby’s room into a big kid room, starting with a fresh coat of paint; sort and organize the clothes your kids are outgrowing at rapid pace), co-host a summer birthday party, or maybe even just help to give older siblings a bit of extra attention if a new baby has recently joined the family.

3. Morning or Afternoon Sanity Saver

It’s really fantastic to have a few hours every week you can count on to take care of life without bringing the kids along. Hiring a babysitter for Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, a morning each week or as often as you can afford is an absolute sanity saver. Imagine how much easier it would be schedule appointments, catch up with a friend from pre-kid days or just get some work done, knowing the kids are covered.

Did you know UrbanSitter allows babysitters to post their weekly availability, blocking times when they have other jobs or classes, so you can see who is available to fit your schedule?

4. Vacation Nanny

Whether you are driving to a nearby beach for a week or taking the whole crew on a plane for a jaunt across the country or over the pond, it’s infinitely easier to do it with a babysitter along to help. You might have your spouse or a grandparent to share the load, but they aren’t likely relishing 24/7 kid duty. A babysitter can help entertain the kids while you and your spouse or other adults  truly enjoy some vacation time – dining out past 5 pm, reading a book poolside, playing a round of golf or sneaking off to the spa.

Be sure to talk with your babysitter before the trip to make sure you have the same expectations for the trip, including how much time she’ll spend with the kids, when and if she’ll join in on family time, how much free time she will have, and what expenses will be covered.

5. Pool or Park Chaperone

If your summer involves a lot of time at the pool and park, lucky you, but chances are there are days when you have other places you want or need to be. It’s pretty darn nice to have a reliable, trustworthy babysitter to take the kids off your hands and take them to the pool or park. If you have more than one child, especially if one is a baby or toddler who is still napping or an older child who has other places to be, it’s valuable to  have a babysitter to split the duty. She can help while you stay home with a sleeping baby or transport an older child.

UrbanSitter lets you search for babysitters who are child/infant CPR-trained. Our blog post on Summer Safety is a great resource to share with your babysitter before she takes on summer duty.

Regardless of when you need a babysitter, UrbanSitter is an excellent resource for finding just the right one for this summer and beyond.

Check out new babysitter profiles that have been added in your area, and go ahead and try a new babysitter who’s right for you. You deserve it!

 

 

How to Line Up Summer Childcare Help

UrbanSitter babysitter

The typical school-age child has 10 weeks of summer vacation. That’s at least 70 full days with you or another caregiver–be it a daycare provider, camp counselor, nanny, babysitter, family, or a friend. Regardless of your family’s regular schedule, it’s likely you could use a bit of additional childcare this summer. Now is the time to think about lining up your summer childcare help, here are a few options to get you started:

Summer Camps

Summer camp doesn’t have to mean an entire summer away from home. A week or more of ½-day soccer, gymnastics, or swim/tennis camp could be just what both you and the kids need to make it a fabulous summer. If you haven’t already registered your kids for summer camps or maybe you thought camp didn’t fit the budget this year, be sure to check out our earlier post –Tips for Choosing Summer Camps for Your Kids.  We’ve included links to help find affordable mini- and day-camp options for your kids, and provided tips for choosing camps that give you the most bangs for your buck.

Regularly Scheduled Babysitters

If you don’t have your kids in a camp or daycare, you’ll definitely need a break, and so will your kids. Shake things up by hiring a regularly scheduled sitter to babysit a couple mornings every week while you run errands, hit the gym, do a bit of housework or simply relax child-free. Many parents who have an infant and older kids, find it helpful to hire a sitter to stay with the baby while he naps and they spend some quality time with the older siblings, or the flip side – they have the sitter take the big kids somewhere fun, while you get things done at home when the baby’s asleep.

How do you find these sanity-saving sitters? Reach out now to find local college or high-school students or neighborhood mother’s helpers.

  • College students typically have some babysitting experience and are hungry to earn extra money. Students at nearby schools or locals who are home for summer break are especially good options. Expect to pay what you would pay a seasoned babysitter, and be sure to get a commitment well before summer break starts as their time is likely in high demand.
  • High school sitters, though less experienced, are often in the eyes of your child the most fun and energetic sitters. For those who have little experience with kids, plan to have them play with your children for a short time while you’re at home, or cover for you while you make a quick run to the grocery store until you are both comfortable with you leaving them alone. Negotiate hourly rates based on experience.
  • Mother’s Helpers are typically teens looking to get babysitting experience and earn a bit of money. Many start offering their help after completing a local babysitting or CPR course aimed at preparing them for potential childcare emergencies. Regardless, it’s best to leverage them as fun-loving, responsible kids to help out while you’re at home. Hourly rates are far less. Talk with the helpers or their parents to determine a rate that’s fair.

Your Go-To Source for Trusty Babysitters, Whenever the Need Strikes

UrbanSitter, of course! With the UrbanSitter mobile app, you can find and book a sitter on the go, and even have a confirmed sitter within minutes.

  • See which babysitters are recommended personally by parents in your local network (friends, parents at your child’s school, YMCA, mother’s clubs, etc.).
  • Need a Monday-Wednesday afternoon sitter or someone to drop the kids off at camp? Post a job and sitters will apply if they’re interested.
  • Schedule interviews online and even screen sitters beforehand by watching their video profiles!
  • Did you know the site even has a feature that allows you to shop by rate? Yep, you can search for a babysitter with the best rate, one that fits your budget.

You can rest assured there’s always a fantastic sitter ready to take your kids off your hands for a bit, whether it to entertain them at home, take them on a fun field trip, or even just take over carpool duty.

Regardless of your family’s summer agenda, don’t forget to include extra childcare in your plans!

5 Things to Consider Before Choosing a Summer Camp for Your Kids

summer camp

Options are seemingly endless for summer day camps and mini-camps for kids as young as toddlers. With camp registrations underway and deadlines quickly approaching, it’s tempting to jump at the first cool camp you come across, just to make sure you secure a spot.

Do yourself and your kids a favor by taking a few minutes to consider these 5 factors before you choose. Not only will it make it easier to decide which works best for your child and your family, it’ll save you a whole lot of money!

Things to consider:

1. Is your child happiest indoors or outside?

Sending a homebody, who finds Zen in the A/C with a stash of art supplies, to “tough it out” in the Great Outdoors might make for (at the very least) unpleasant drop-offs for you both. For years to come, you’ll hear about the number of mosquito bites she suffered! The reverse is just as true. Some kids would choose to be outside even in the dead of winter. If one of them belongs to you, indoor camp probably isn’t the best bang for your buck.

2. Your child’s interests.

It might be obvious that a week of karate isn’t a fit for your princess, but give some thought to whether your child would have more fun with active play or something quieter. Traditional summer camps and sports camps are great for burning energy, but some kids have more fun with more low-key activities, such as crafting, science, learning a foreign language, music or cooking. If you want to get them moving indoors, check out local options for dance, gymnastics/tumbling or theater. Need something to satisfy the child who loves trying new things, check out this list of really cool, not-so-ordinary camp options for NYC area families. Even if you don’t live in NYC, the list might give you a few options to look at finding close to home. You’ll score big points with your adventure-lover.

3. Your schedule.

Little kid summer camps seem to fall into one of a few scheduling categories: they provide all-day care for your child, are a half-day option (mornings or afternoons), or are designed to cover the time after school or daycare and before you get home from work. Decide which you need, and if you have some flexibility with the decision, think about what works best for your child. Will naptime be affected? Is a full day away from home a bit too much for his attention span and stamina?

4. Can you recruit a friend to join and carpool?

Most kids are thrilled to have a buddy join them at camp. It makes it infinitely more fun. And it’s wonderful to have another parent or sitter to share the carpooling. If your car is big enough or you can manage multiple children on public transportation, get a handful of kids to go together. Better yet, coordinate with your pals to book a babysitter who can take care of transportation for the whole group.

5. Cost.

We all knew kids aren’t cheap, but who knew summer camps are so dang expensive!? Yikes! Unless your budget is endless, you need to factor costs into your decision before sending your four-year-old to a few weeks of half-day camps that amounts to the cost of a really great get-away weekend with your spouse. If you’re looking at full-day options for the entire summer, the decision is even costlier. Costs in the SF Bay Area are roughly $5,000 for a 10-week program.

If you’ve given these factors thought and decided summer camp might not work this year, why not hire a babysitter to entertain the kids and give you a regularly scheduled break? There are plenty who would love to help you – log onto UrbanSitter.

How much to pay the babysitter for New Year’s Eve

cheers_icon If you have New Year’s Eve plans this year, you’re probably wondering how you’re ever going to find a babysitter–and once you find one, how much should you pay for New Year’s Eve?

Step 1: Finding a sitter for available on New Year’s Eve

Chances are the college-aged sitter you normally rely on already has plans. If that’s the case, try logging on to UrbanSitter and doing a search for sitters available on December 31st, or post a job. Send a few booking requests out and see if you get any takers. Before you do, think about the best pay rate you’re willing to offer.

Step 2: Deciding how much to pay a sitter on New Year’s Eve

Most parents expect to pay a premium to lock in a sitter on New Year’s Eve, but how much is enough? According to our recent survey:
30% expect to pay a babysitter their normal rate
53% expect to pay 1.5 times the normal rate
15% expect to pay 2 times the normal rate

Step 3: Lock it in

So you’re willing to pay top dollar, but what else can you do to ensure you’ll score a sitter? Offer to pay her cab ride home, delicious takeout, and if you’re not getting back until late, work out an overnight stay fee. She’ll be delighted to crash on your couch and earn an extra buck.

Enjoy the big night and Happy New Year!

Search for babysitters available on New Year’s Eve at UrbanSitter.com.

UrbanSitter Mobile App is Here – Book a Sitter on-the-go

Do you want to find and book a babysitter from anywhere, at anytime… in other words, when the inspiration (or an invitation) to do something without the kids strikes? Now you can!

We’ve just launched the UrbanSitter Mobile App to allow you to easily search for sitters, review profiles of those who are available, and book them from your iPhone or iPad. You get an instant notification when a sitter responds to your request and a tool that allows you manage your bookings so you are always on top of it, always organized.

And we didn’t stop there. The new app turns into a very cool messaging tool, so once a job is booked, you can easily and efficiently communicate with your sitter to discuss the details of the job–or call them at the click of a button.

It’s just as awesome for sitters, too, because it allows them to immediately see and respond to your job requests. They can also use it to communicate with you about the job and even view of map to your home.

We figured you already shop, get directions, talk with your friends, and book dinner reservations on-the-go. It’s about time you can now find and book a sitter from your phone, too!

You can find the UrbanSitter Mobile App as a free download in the Apple iTunes Store. It will be available for Android later this year.

Now go ahead and accept that last minute invitation to dinner, or grab tickets to see your favorite band before they are sold out. We’ve got your kids covered!

Get the UrbanSitter app now! Download here.