When I was in the market to find a baby sitter, I found it so hard mainly because I am a first-time mom, and I was new to the neighborhood. I did not know which resources were available to me. So, stemming from my personal experience, I gathered all five ways to find a baby sitter so you don’t have to.
- Family and Friends
- In my opinion, family or friends will never astray you, so the first place to look at is through those close to you. Ask them if they have any referrals, interview the sitters, and make a selection. They can also give you personal stories to relate to. And, if a family or friend recommends something, 9/10 times, I will take their word for it.
- Through your employer
- If you are a stay-at-home mom or dad, this option might not work for you, but nowadays, most employers will provide care for kids/elderly for those times you need to be at work. Currently, at my work, we get at least 40 hours overall to enroll our kids to an approved daycare at a discount rate. It is such a great perk. Ask your HR department if there is something like this for you at your company.
- Your County Website
- For the times you need to get a reputable daycare or someone who is licensed, look no further. The county website has listings of licensed daycares ( in-home/centers). Sometimes these daycares have options for parents to drop off their kids for 1 or 2 days a week.
- Social Media (Facebook)
- People create neighborhood or garage sale groups on social media (especially Facebook). Before you shut down my idea – let me tell you how they helped me. These groups have been a blessing to my family. Not only did I get my first ever babysitter from there, but I also got my son’s summer clothes for cheap from there as well. Some groups are dedicated entirely to kids. You can post on there asking for a sitter. Usually, someone will respond, and you can set up a time to interview them to see if they mesh with you and the kids.
- Google
- You know what they say, “Google is the brain we never had!” This thing has E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.IN.G. When you search ” baby sitter” many websites for childcare services will come up. All you have to do is create an account, post your job and voila! Applications will start coming in. The great thing about these websites is that they screen all their sitters. They even do background checks, which will give you a piece of mind. P.S. I found my current babysitter on this way. She is so good to my son.
What are the ways that you searched for your sitter?
