As if you don’t have enough to worry about with your little one running around, you now have to search for a babysitter online. It’s just another stress added to your already stressful day. Not to mention it makes us think of those crazy plotlines of stolen children in Lifetime movies.
But don’t freak out just yet, the Department of Defense has funded a trustworthy program for military families to simplify the process of finding a caregiver anywhere in the United States. Whether your spouse is deployed, or you just need some help around the house with your child from time to time, you now have access to a free membership with this resource.
Sittercity.com helps you find babysitters, nannies, certified CDH/FCC care providers, senior care, pet care, housekeepers, and tutors. You can access or conduct background checks, search references, view caregiver profiles and read reviews from other military parents who have used the service. As the Web’s leading parent-caregiver matchmaking resource, with over one million registered caregivers, Sittercity.com simplifies your search while ensuring a safe and secure experience for hiring a new caregiver.
A great feature is the ability to conduct a search for a particular type of caregiver in your area, or post a wanted ad for a specific position on the site. By submitting a post for a specific need or position, individuals interested in the opportunity will contact you. Easy, right? The site then filters the responses and suggests the top 10 prospects matching your criteria. From this point, you’re able to explore individual profiles and find information about certifications, reviews, completed background checks and levels of experience.
If you find a caregiver whom you’re interested in that hasn’t yet undergone a background check, you’re able to run one through Sittercity.com partner, LexisNexis for under $15. The pay rate will depend on multiple factors, including the number of children the babysitter will be caring for and how much experience they have. The Sittercity website offers a rate calculator to help you determine a range to consider offering the caregiver.
When you’re interested in personally interviewing a candidate, the site also offers suggestions for your interview process including interview questions and ways of getting your kids involved with the potential sitter during the interview.
After conducting several interviews, you will more than likely have a good idea of which candidates you would like to seriously consider. Sittercity.com includes at least one reference for each caregiver. The site also offers helpful questions and topics to cover when contacting these individuals.
Other helpful resources included on the site include a checklist sheet for babysitters. This document includes your family’s address, phone number, your contact information, house rules, suggested playtime activities, TV rules, mealtime suggestions and bedtime instructions.
Sittercity.com is truly one-stop shopping for anything involving caregivers. From tips and advice to external resources and the caregivers themselves, it’s really no wonder that Sittercity.com is America’s largest and most trusted online resource connecting families with high quality local caregivers.
For more information, or to access your free membership, visit Sittercity.com.
