Father’s Day is Looming: 7 Great Gift Ideas

Fathers Day gifts, fathers day gifts, diy father's day gifts

Father’s Day is fast approaching. Don’t panic. Below is a helpful list of great Father’s Day gift ideas. We’re sure you’ll find a gift that’ll be perfect for that special dad in your life.

  1. Photo for His Office — Men aren’t always the most diligent about decorating their offices, but who can resist a precious photo of the kids or better yet, you AND the kids? Print and frame it, and have the kids make the card. Done.
  2. Night Out on the Town — Make a reservation for dinner at his favorite steak house. (Note: this should be HIS favorite restaurant, not YOURS.) He’ll love the fact that you took the reigns. Enjoy a bottle of wine and maybe even head to a movie or comedy club afterward. Be sure to book your sitter early — remember, UrbanSitter has trusted caregivers ready to watch your kids! 
  3. Homemade Gift by Kids — More than a card, give him a handmade paperweight or picture frame. Head to your local craft store and get some modeling clay and do hand impressions, or use popsicle sticks to make a frame (or even buy the frame and let the kids decorate it). Or, find a few smooth rocks and use markers to embellish. He’ll love it, guaranteed.
  4. Concert or Theatre Tickets — When another button-down shirt just isn’t going to cut it, do a little research on which band or play is coming to town. What will your husband love? Whatever you choose, he’s sure to be thrilled with your thinking outside the box.
  5. Breakfast in Bed — This one seems cliche, and might usually be reserved for Mother’s Day, but I think most men enjoy it, too. Have the kids help you (but not too much — no shells in the omelette!), and take it in on a tray after you’ve let him sleep in a bit.
  6. Office Visit — This is always a huge hit. Usually reserved for business, his office is also someplace he’d most likely love to share and show off. Most offices are willing to have kids visit, if only for a few minutes, and it’s a good thing for kids to be able to envision where Daddy goes every day. Afterwards, treat him to lunch at one of his favorite local eateries.
  7. Hobby Gear — Take the time to do some research or really *listen* to him in the preceding months when he talks about those cool shoes or the clubs he covets. Then go out and get them — and don’t be afraid to ask the salesperson for help.

Best of all, let Dad just enjoy his day. Tell him how much you and the kids love him — it’s truly the best gift one could give

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Now Offering Pet Sitting, Senior Care and Household Services

Pet Sitting Jobs at UrbanSitter

Overwhelmed with responsibilities at home? Now, you can rely on UrbanSitter for more than just child care—introducing pet sitting, senior care, and lots of household services, including cleaning, errands, and house sitting!

Pet sitting

Headed on a road trip and can’t bring your pets, or looking for a dog-walker? You’ll find local sitters to care for all of your animals—cats, dogs, birds, hamsters, snakes (oh my!), and more on UrbanSitter.

To book a pet sitter or dog walker click on “Pet Care” from your dashboard and select your type of pet. We’ll automatically find sitters near you, and you’ll see a section on their profile with pet care details and experience.

Senior Care at UrbanSitter

Senior care

Need non-medical companion care for an elderly relative? UrbanSitter offers an affordable solution as many sitters also offer senior caregiving, including fixing meals, assisting with tasks around the house, and friendly conversation. 

To book senior care click on “Senior Care” from your dashboard. Once you pick a caregiver, be sure to fill out the Job Description with details of the job responsibilities.

Household services

Need a helping hand with cleaning, errands, grocery shopping, cooking, and driving, or looking for a part-time household assistant? No request is too big or too small. 

To book household help click on “Household Services” from your dashboard and use the “Willing to help with” filter if you have a specific task in mind (housekeeping, errand help, house sitting, etc.). When making your booking, be sure to describe all of the household services you need in the Job Description.

Find help for the whole household now. Join UrbanSitter and start your free caregiver search today. Relief is only a few clicks away!

News You Can Use: Lighten Up! Humor Helps Kids Learn

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By Dawn Van Osdell

A team of French scientists has reported in the journal Cognition and Emotion that laughter doesn’t just make us feel good. It also helps us learn.

The researchers, led by Rana Esseily, who studies emotion, developmental psychology, and cognitive psychology at Paris West University Nanterre La Défense, studied a group of 18-month-olds—roughly the age when humans develop a sense of humor—to determine whether toddlers’ cognitive abilities improve when laughter is involved. They designed an experiment where each tot observed an adult using a tool to grab an out-of-reach toy. In one group, the adult simply played with the toy after retrieving it. In a second group, the adult threw the toy immediately on the floor, which made half the kids in that group laugh.

The researchers found that 94 percent of the tots who laughed at the antics of the adults were able to repeat the action themselves more successfully than those who didn’t laugh, as well as those in the “humorless” control group.

Why laughter seems to be linked to learning isn’t entirely clear, but Esseily and her team cite two possible explanations. The first relates to temperament. “In this case, it is not humor per se that may have facilitated learning, but [that] temperamentally ‘smiley’ babies were more likely to engage with the environment, and therefore to attempt and succeed at the task,” says Esseily. She suggests that “laughing babies” may have higher social skills or cognitive capacities, allowing them to interact more easily with others and making them more amenable to mimickery.

Esseily’s second explanation relates to brain chemistry. It is well known that positive emotions, such as laughter, can increase dopamine levels in the brain, which in turn has a positive effect on learning.

Though more research is needed to determine the extent of the relationship between laughter and learning, there’s ample reason to keep your kids giggling: it’s fun for all of you! Plus, they just might learn something from it.

Photo by Barry Lenard via Compfight

Meet Kate Talbot: Successful Author, Content Creator, and Digital Strategist… and an UrbanSitter Babysitter!


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Kate Talbot has built her successful career by using digital storytelling to empower communities at brands like Kiva and Virgin America, as well as scale early-stage startups for growth. In her free time, she writes for online publications like Social Media Examiner and KISSmetrics, educating small business owners and entrepreneurs on how to successfully use millennial social media platforms like Instagram and Snapchat to build their brands. Recently, she published a book on the topic of Snapchat Marketing. Of course, like any city girl she was at the Dry Bar downtown on a recent Monday morning getting glam for an important event and ran into UrbanSitter CEO Lynn Perkins (whom she babysat for years back) and they got to chatting…

Here, Kate shares with us her experiences with UrbanSitter, what it’s been like having written a successful book, and more insight into her career and life.

Can you tell us a little bit about how you know UrbanSitter CEO and Co-Founder, Lynn?
For me, I am all about the side hustle. SF is expensive and any avenue in which you can use technology to create multiple revenue streams is important. My girlfriends and I (as many of us) have babysat since our tween years, and after business school in 2012 we all signed up for UrbanSitter. This was a great way to supplement our job incomes off the bat.

I learned from my friend Lisa, who is a babysitting all-star, that the best way to build your babysitting profile is to reply to jobs right away and babysit on a Saturday night. From doing so, I ended up replying fast to a query and booked a job during the 2013 holiday season for Lynn. I had a wonderful time babysitting for her son and she was highly supportive of my own story and helping me succeed. We connected on LinkedIn, and I always loved following all the news about UrbanSitter; especially this amazing feature in the First Round Review on Lynn and UrbanSitter.

As fate happens, I ended up running marketing for a First Round Capital company—which also funds UrbanSitter—so at a dinner roundtable I met Daisy [Downs, Co-Founder of UrbanSitter] too! I let the other attendees know that even though I was in the tech space, I also was an UrbanSitter babysitter, which delighted everyone.

You mentioned going to business school, where did you study?
I went to the University of San Francisco, where I focused on Marketing and Entrepreneurship.

I grew up in Moraga in the East Bay —I have lived in New York City, too—but I knew I wanted to be in the Bay Area long-term. My dad and brother both went to USF for law school, so I knew I’d be getting a great education.

Can you tell us a little bit about what you’re doing now?
I have my own consulting firm where I lead growth marketing for early stage startups—whether that’s influencer marketing tools or cybersecurity technology—it really runs the gamut but I love it all.

I also write on the side. I do that because it’s a passion of mine.

In fact, when I babysat I am able to write when the kids are asleep. One of my favorite articles I wrote on Snapchat was written in a Pacific Heights apartment overlooking the Bay, while babysitting for a great family.

You just wrote and published a book about Snapchat, what was the process like?
I combined the writing which was already published on the topic and leveraged my community. I’m extremely fortunate to have contacts across all industries at big brands and media entities, and they were able to provide case study insights into their own execution of the platform. My mentor, a VC from Onset Ventures, who encouraged me to write the book, wrote the foreword about the future of enterprise marketing and Snapchat.

I also mentor at Stanford for an undergraduate course in media and technology. From this class, I was able to hire a recent graduate to design all the creative assets. That was probably my favorite part, because we had so much fun thinking outside the box and what would help the audience understand the platform from a visual perspective.

What interested you about Snapchat enough to write about it ?
I’ve always been really in tune with the millennial, and now Gen Y, audience on what the next trends will be. As a user myself and talking with my 22-year-old god-sister and her friends, I realized the power of Snapchat as an authentic way of telling stories and connecting with friends. Since I’d already been writing about social media for Social Media Examiner, I pitched the topic of Snapchat for Business. I was one of the first writers to do so, and it’s led to amazing opportunities speaking at business schools and conferences. I figured next steps, why not write a book!  

What has the reception been like for your book?
It did amazingly well! I felt so thankful for my community that downloaded it. During the 5-day free promotion, it went to the #2 spot in all of Business Marketing and Sales on Amazon. It was also #1 on Amazon for Advertising and Professional Development and #1 on Product Hunt books.

To wrap up: If you could give advice to sitters using the service, what would it be?
My advice would be to think of your profile as a personal brand. Fill out your profile in the best light possible. Also, remember parents are really looking forward to their date night or event they are off to, so be as professional as possible and always make sure you are doing your best! I know it can be tough sometimes, but keep trying to babysit more and more even if you get overwhelmed.

Babysitting in SF is a great way to explore the different neighborhoods—I didn’t know about all the parks that were out there—and connect with the families! If I hadn’t followed up with Lynn, I wouldn’t be in this position. You never know what will happen!

You can pick up a copy of Kate’s book, Oh, Snap! You Can Use Snapchat for Business, on Amazon, follow her on Twitter and Instagram, and see more of her work on her website at http://www.katetalbot.me/.

 

Entertaining and Educational Ways to Celebrate Earth Day

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No matter where you live on the planet, April 22nd is Earth Day.

Don’t let the day pass you by without taking advantage of the opportunity to celebrate and help your family do its part in protecting our planet.  Here are fun ways to get the kids involved, build lasting memories and start healthy habits, too:

  • Maybe an obvious choice, but a certainly one not to miss – plant a tree, a small garden, even a few seeds for a burst of color in a pot. Follow these helpful tips from Kids F.A.C.E if you are new to planting a tree:

1. Dig a hole as deep as the rootball and twice as wide.

2. Check to see if the soil around the hole is too hard – if it is, loosen it up a bit with the shovel.

3. Remove the container from the rootball. (The roots are like the tree’s blood vessels and they work best if they are not all twisted and knotted up, so you might need to straighten them out if they are circling around after having grown in the container.

4. Place the tree in the hole, making sure the soil is at the same level on the tree as when the tree grew in the garden center. If your tree has burlap around the rootball, place the tree in the hole and then carefully untie the burlap. Leave the burlap lying in the bottom of the hole (this is Okay – the burlap will simply turn into organic matter over a period of time).

5. Fill in around the rootball with soil and pack the soil with your hands and feet to make sure that there are no air pockets.

6. Make a little dam around the base of the tree as wide as the hole with left over soil or grass clumps to hold in the water.

7. Give your new tree a good soaking of water to help settle it into its new home.

Trees to Breathe
Trees to Breathe
  • Brainstorm with your kids for ideas on how you can do a better job living green. Commit to just one small change or a whole list of intentions, and stick to it. Ideas: Change to CFL light bulbs in your home, kick the paper towel habit, or swear off individually packaged snacks.
  • Build your own compost bin  or buy a rainwater collection barrel for your home. Help kids feel they are part of the action by having them commit to simple acts such as turning off the water when they brush their teeth, using the same cup throughout the day so there is less to wash, and helping to water houseplants using leftover water from their water bottles brought home from school.
  • Get the whole crew spring cleaning with all-natural cleaning products that are safe for little helpers and their environment. A simple mix of one part white vinegar and one part water will do the trick for most general surface cleaning. You can add a few drops of tea tree oil, lavender or lemon essential oil to add a fresh scent. Fill reusable spray bottles with the mix and set your crew loose.
  • Have a “Lorax” Party. It is, after all, a celebration day. Pull the shades and have a Lorax movie showing, complete with themed snacks and recycled decorations. Smita from The Party Wall created an incredible Lorax-themed party, and took lots of photos to prove it. Take a look for some cool inspiration and get printables, too.
Lorax Party by The Party Wall
Lorax Party by The Party Wall
  • Park the family car and rely on your own two feet or public transportation to get you to and from today or better yet, for the rest of the week. If your commutes are too long or public transportation isn’t available, coordinate a carpool with other families to take at least car off the roads. Your kids will love the switch-up, as much as the environment will.
  • Recruit the neighborhood kids to join you to clean up a favorite park, beach, school yard or other public space.
  • Simply spend a family day outdoors. Maybe you can’t do it mid-week, but commit to spending a weekend day totally and completely outdoors. Take a family bike ride, spend time at the playground, visit local botanical gardens or take a hike. Dine al fresco, too. We all know how much kids love picnics.

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Find babysitters your friends know and love at UrbanSitter.

Exciting New Features – Videos, Messaging, and more!

UrbanSitter is excited to announce groundbreaking new features designed to make your babysitter search faster and more efficient than ever before. These features launch today in select cities as part of new membership packages. Log in to view Membership Plans available in your area.

Lights, camera, action!

Babysitter Profile Video

At UrbanSitter, we strive to provide lots of information and efficient tools to help you find the babysitter that’s best for you. New Babysitter Profile Videos bring a sitter’s profile to life as they introduce themselves in a short 30 to 90-second clip.

When your time is precious, profile videos can help you screen a handful of sitters quickly. Of course, videos can’t replace a face-to-face interview, but they can provide a level of assurance, especially if you’re nervous about meeting a new sitter for the first time.

You’ve got questions…. A LOT of questions.

New UrbanSitter FeaturesNaturally, when you’re looking for a babysitter, you’re bound to have lots of questions. Even before you get to the point of interviewing, sometimes you just want to ask a question: Will you babysit twins? Are you okay driving my car since you don’t have one? One question can make all the difference, and you don’t want to waste time. That’s why we created the new Ask a Question tool, so you can message sitters anytime with a quick question.

You can also add optional Screening Questions when you post a job to the Job Board. Sitters who are interested in your job may include short replies to your screening questions with their profile, so you can get to know them before the interview. Ask your “make-or-break” questions or general questions to get a sense for their personality. You can choose from our list of common questions, or write your own.

Curious about UrbanSitter’s new features? Create a free account today and start searching for babysitters in your area!

Celebrate Dr. Seuss’s Birthday (and Read Across America Day), March 2

Photo Credit: alternatePhotography via Compfight cc
Photo Credit: alternatePhotography via Compfight cc

The beloved children’s author and illustrator, Dr. Seuss, was born March 2, 1904. Children around the world celebrate his birthday by reading his treasured books and spending time in school and at home doing fun activities that reflect his brilliant work. Don’t miss out on the chance to have some fun with your kids!

Here are some fun, fan-seussical activities to do with your kids:

READ

  • The National Education Association has chosen Dr. Seuss’s birthday for its Read Across America Day, a nationwide reading celebration that shines a spotlight on the importance of reading to children. The obvious activity of choice for the day – read to your kids! There are 46 Dr. Seuss children’s books to choose from!
  • Dr. Seuss books are ideal for reading aloud to children, even infants who will be mesmerized by the rhymes and preschoolers who will get big kicks out of the nonsensical nature of the stories. Early readers get a boost of confidence from tackling “Hop on Pop,” or other beginner favorites.
  • The official Dr. Seuss website by Random House is chock full of activities for kids to do on their own and a Parents section to provide tips on maximizing both the quality and the quantity of reading time in your home. The website’s Books section provides a search tool to help you select Seuss books by your child’s age, a favorite character or series, and other criteria.

CREATE

  • Create a Reading Chart to track reading time and progress. The blogger of Mom Endeavors crafted a simple DIY chart centered on a favorite Seuss quote:

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”

  • Use these free printables to have kids color and create bookmarks that encourage them to read well beyond today’s festivities.
  • Make and play with Oobleck. This ooey, gooey not-quite-liquid-not-quite-solid play gunk is inspired from the strange stuff that falls from the sky in “Bartholomew and the Oobleck.” The non-edible recipe: Mix together 2 cups cornstarch, 3 drops of food coloring and up to 1 cup of water in a medium sized bowl. Add water slowly as you may not need entire cup. 
Dr. Seuss - "Bartholomew and the Oobleck" via Amazon
Dr. Seuss – “Bartholomew and the Oobleck” via Amazon

ENTERTAIN

  • One Fish, Two Fish Matching Game and Magnets. Before you can play this simple matching game with your kids, you’ll need to bust out a bit of DIY. You’ll need foam board, magnets, a Sharpie, and images from either printables or those you’ve traced or sketched yourself. Detailed instructions are here.
  • Record your early reader reading “Green Eggs and Ham.” This handy app makes it fun and easy to record and the accompanying games and activities will hold your child’s attention long enough for you to create the matching game listed above.
  • Host a playdate or a movie night (or afternoon) by popping some popcorn and showing a Seuss classic. “Horton Hears a Who” is entertaining for little kids and “The Lorax” is tops with older kids who can appreciate the environmental message, as much as the characters and cool animation.
One Fish Two Fish Matching Game via Just Paint It
One Fish Two Fish Matching Game via Just Paint It

EAT

  • A celebration isn’t a celebration without food! If you aren’t up to tackling The Lorax cake pictured below, there are many other simple treats to make the day even more memorable and fun.
  • Truffula Trees – Adorable mini cupcakes you can create with a cake mix, pretzel sticks and cotton candy, along with a few extras to make them look like the trees from The Lorax movie.
  • Do You Like Green Eggs and Ham? Here’s a Green Eggs and Ham recipe that will be just as appealing to adults as kids (and it doesn’t involved icky food coloring!). Try it, try it, you will see!
Lorax Cake via Diamonds For Dessert
Lorax Cake via Diamonds For Dessert

And, for those with wee-little ones who shouldn’t miss out on the fun, how about this photo opt for the baby book?!

Dr. Seuss Inspired Hat and Tie from Sweet Pea Toad Tots via Etsy
Dr. Seuss Inspired Hat and Tie from Sweet Pea Toad Tots via Etsy

Need a few more ideas to help you celebrate Dr. Seuss’s birthday with your kids? Check out the ultimate Dr. Seuss Links Collection. If you run out of time (or steam!), find a babysitter to lead the charge.

Fun Ways to Celebrate Groundhog Day

Photo Credit: Henry McLin via Compfight cc
Photo Credit: Henry McLin via Compfight cc

Come February, with the cold, dreary days of January behind us but spring still a bit too far away, we can all use something to celebrate.

How about Groundhog Day!?

Remember – if Punxsutawney Phil comes out of his burrow on February 2 and sees his shadow, he’ll quickly duck back into his hole, foretelling six more weeks of winter. If he does not see his shadow, it will stay above ground predicting spring is near. Regardless of the outcome, you can have some fun celebrating the day with your kids. Here are a few fun ideas, including free printables:

Groundhog Finger Puppet

We found this cute craft on a UK learning site. Groundhog Day is an American tradition, but even the Brits are looking for something to celebrate this time of year! Your kids will love the outcome of this simple craft made from craft foam – a cute googly-eyed groundhog that peeks out of its own burrow.

The instructions are here – In short, simply cut two ovals out of brown foam paper – one for the head and one for the body – and glue them together, add two paws and some teeth, glue on googly eyes and finish off the features with a Sharpie.

Once you have your groundhog, you can create his borrow using these instructions, along with a styrofoam cup and a popsicle stick.

Free, Printable Word Search

Simply click above and print this fun word search to celebrate Phil.

Wordsearch from Apples 4 the Teacher

Fun Preschool Math

Another free printable, this one helps preschoolers brush up on math skills with Phil.

Step-by-Step How To Draw a Groundhog Printable/Traceable

Have fun drawing your own groundhog, and why not dress him for Spring or Winter (depending on whether he saw his shadow) – scarf and hat for winter, sunglasses and swim trunks for spring.

Read a story together.

Here’s a good one that will make you and the kids smile: “Go to Sleep Groundhog,” by Judy Cox.

Go to Sleep Groundhog via Amazon

Bake Cookies

We found several groundhog cookie cutters you can purchase on Etsy, and no shortage of groundhog cookie recipes. If you are able to get your hands on a cookie cutter before Groundhog Day, try this recipe for Groundhog Cookies for a tasty treat.

If you don’t have it in you to tackle these fun activities, find a babysitter on UrbanSitter who would love to get crafting, cooking and reading with your kids!

Welcome Philadelphia Babysitters and Parents!

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Hello Philadelphia!

Now that you have joined the UrbanSitter family, we thought we’d help you get to know each other a little better. Parents, there are many great reasons to get a babysitter and plan a date night in Philly this month. Take a look at these fun ideas we’ve tracked down, just a few of the slew of events and activities the city has to offer this winter, so book a babysitter for your great escape!

Center City Restaurant Week

Now through February 1, 2013

Don’t miss it! Here’s your chance to enjoy a fabulous meal without breaking the bank. You can feast on a delicious, multiple-course meal for just $20-35. More than 100 of Center City’s finest restaurants are offering indulgent prix fixe menus with three-course dinners for only $35 per person, and more than 50 participating restaurants will also be offering a three-course lunch option for $20 per person. You’d be hard pressed to find a cuisine not represented. Participating restaurants include Alma de Cuba, The Dandelion, Garces Trading Company,  Barbuzzo, Lolita, Mercato, Table 31 and Amada.

Click here for a full list of participating restaurants and preview their menus for Center City Restaurant Week. You can visit centercityphila.org to make reservations online. Do it now, as tables fill extremely quickly!

With Art Philadelphia Hotel Package

Now through March 31, 2013

Why not take a staycation and get to know your town? No need to hop a plane for a weekend getaway. Philadelphia’s Visitor’s Bureau makes it easy on you by partnering with several top hotels and museums to offer the With Art Philadelphia Hotel Package. The package gives you one or two nights accommodation at one of several luxury hotels and access to many of the city’s great museums, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Rodin Museum, Perelman Museum, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA), University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (Penn Museum) and the new Barnes Foundation on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Participating hotels include Sofitel Philadelphia, Hotel Monaco, Loews, Westin, and the Four Seasons Hotel, among others.

Photo from Cole Haan Facebook

Girls’ Day – Shopping at King of Prussia Mall

If you need an excuse to shop, how about taking advantage of your proximity to the East Coast’s largest mall for the ultimate girls’ day?  Nowhere else on the left coast can you shop more than 400 stores under one roof!  After-Christmas sales make it an ideal time of year to shop ’til you drop. While you’re there, you can check out the newly expanded H&M and get inspiration for your house at the new Arhaus store.

March Madness

Starts March 19th, Final Four is April 6 & 8

Why not make a plan to get out and watch a few NCAA games without kids to worry about. You may just have a hometown favorite to cheer on! The 2nd and 3rd round games are played at Temple University this year, and there are no shortage of haunts to watch the games. Pick a neighborhood favorite or try a new spot. Check out this helpful guide to Top Sports Bars in the city.

Philadelphia Flower Show

March 2-10, 2013

Did you know the Philadelphia Flower Show is the world’s longest-running and largest indoor flower show? It’s quite spectacular. This year’s show, dubbed “Brilliant!” is focused on Great Britain and inspired by centuries of British culture, including the urban design of modern-day London. The show is held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, but is truly a city-wide event with windows and lobbies all over the city decorated for the show. Local restaurants and bars also get in on the fun by competing for the best Flower Show-themed beverage.

Do you know of other great excuses for hiring a babysitter and getting out in Philadelphia this month? If so, we’d love to know, so please share!

Welcome Dallas Parents and Babysitters!

The Dallas Fort Worth Area is the newest addition to the UrbanSitter family. We are pleased to offer parents and Dallas babysitters a safe and reliable way to connect.

Parents, you now have access to top-rated sitters whom you can conveniently and easily book within minutes! What a way to start the year… and just in time, as there are scores of opportunities and events going on that would make for the perfect day or night out without the kids.

Here are a few favorite Dallas date night ideas:

Image from Dallas Museum of ArtDallas Museum of Art – Late Nights

You may be no stranger to the museum’s late nights held the third Friday of each month. Whether you are a regular or a first-timer, this month’s Late Night, held January 18th, is a can’t miss event. It’s the museum’s 110th Birthday Celebration, complete with dancing, artist talks and tours.  January 18th from 6 pm to 12 midnight.

Image by Dallas By ChocolateDallas by Chocolate Taste Tours

We love this idea for a fun girls’ outing! Dallas by Chocolate Taste Tours give you a tour of Dallas bakeries and “chocolate-related emporiums,” with ample taste samples and an insider peak at the behind-the-scenes secrets that go into making chocolate treats. Tickets start at just $30 per person, which includes bus transportation, wine, and tastings. Many tours begin at Empire Baking Company. Tour itinerary and meeting place will be sent after tickets are purchased, or you may call 972-814-5997.

Logo Courtesy of ImprovComedian Pablo Francisco, AKA The Movie Trailer Guy, is at the Addison Improv

After his wilding successful Comedy Central Special and DVD, “They Put it out There,” Francisco is known as one of most popular touring comedians worldwide. Get a group together to share a hilariously fun night out at the Addison Improv. Showtimes: January 17-20th. Thurs. 8:00PM / Fri. 8:00PM & 10:30PM / Sat. 7:00PM, 9:00PM, & 11:30PM / Sun. 7:30PM Tickets: $25 – $35. Call 972-404-8501 or visit web site.

Image by Eismann CenterFor the Whole Family – Charles W. Eismann Performing Arts Center Presents “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie” Family Theater Series

The cast brings to life seven popular children’s stories, including Amazing Grace, Borreguita and the Coyote, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, Imogene’s Antlers, Master Man, Math Curse and Owen. Here’s a nice opportunity to spend time with your older children, leaving the baby home with a sitter. Held January 20th at 2:30 pm. Details and tickets here.

Regardless of how you spend your much deserved time away from the kids, we hope you give UrbanSitter a try for finding a babysitter or nanny. You may just find your new favorite!