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.

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!

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.