It is every parent’s nightmare. You see it every day on the evening news: Another child abused by his babysitter or a child abused at his daycare. It is becoming so common that it has left many parents terrified about choosing the right childcare.

We hope to help. Here are five secrets to finding the perfect babysitter.

1. Ask teachers or pastors. They often know good caregivers in the area or young adults who may want to babysit.

2. Ask your friends–but don’t expect them to hand over the number of the babysitter they love. It won’t happen!

3. Ask your hairdresser. (No… that wasn’t a joke.) They often know more about what is going on in your town than most. I found one college-aged babysitter this way. She was not only great with my kids, but also was willing housesit and watch our dog when we were on vacation!

4. Try an online matchmaking service like Sittercity. They have thousands of awesome babysitters all over the country. You can search their database before you pay for their service and probably find 10 great babysitters right in your area that would be perfect to watch your little ones.

5. Get a background check. Not every person is as nice as they seem. For example: while running a company that focused on providing in-home care for the elderly, I received many good resumes from people who seemed extremely pleasant and were good candidates. However, after running the mandatory background check, I found a misdemeanor abuse charge and one woman who even had assaulted her own mother! Do you think I now wanted to hire them to care for my elderly clients? No way! You don’t want people like that watching your children either! So when networks like Sittercity offer the background check, take them up on the offer.

Following these steps should result is a number of great choices. In fact, the only thing left to do is introduce them to the kids and make your dinner reservations!

Maybe a sitter from Sittercity is just what you need! Yes, sometimes you just need a break from the kids.

Sitercity offers a “Try It” option to check availability of babysitters near your before you even sign up. You can search by zip code to see a list of sitters currently available in your area. You will have access to pictures, reviews, lists of skills, ages, types of sitting, and more. With the “Try It” option you can make sure you have good options before you ever sign up to become a member.

Why not click here to “Try It” today?

All parents of young children should have a back-up plan for childcare options but in most cases, parents develop a plan only after crisis hits. Sooner or later, your childcare provider will call and cancel the morning you least need it to happen.

Thinking ahead to plan for such unexpected situations can give you peace of mind and reduce your stress level if the emergency does occur.

So how do you plan so you won’t be left at the last minute without a care provider on the worst possible day for it to happen?

1. Do your research. Check out daycare options in your area that may allow for last-minute drop in childcare. Try it out on a day when you really don’t need it so that you will be prepared when the inevitable happens.

Your child will feel more comfortable when you really need to take him there in a last minute emergency and you’ll know what to expect as well.

2. College Kids. If you have college age kids in the area, many would be more than happy to help you out. Calls around beforehand to find several students who would be willing and able to respond in a moment’s notice.

3. Babysitting Services. Sittercity’s babysitting services can connect parents with great childcare resources in their local community. You can use them to try out some back-up sitters for day or evening schedules.

4. Try a Friendly Neighbor If you have a neighbor who is a stay-at-home mom or a retiree, they may work out a swap of some type with you. The stay-at-home mom may ask you to return the favor for a chance to go out with her husband one evening, while the retiree may need help cutting the grass. It may work out to be a perfect solution for you both.

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Choosing the right childcare situation for your child is one of the hardest decisions that many parents make. Your choice of the right setting depends on your preferences and your child’s needs.

Here is a look at some pros and cons of the various options:

Child Care Centers. These are places that usually take all age children including infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children. They must follow certain health and safety standards, as well as requirement for staffing and educational programs. These programs are often fun similar to “school” where groups of same age children remain grouped and engaged in activities together. The pros are that your children will have many other kids to play with and tons of activities. The major cons are lack of individual attention and activities that cater to your child’s own needs.

Family Child Care. This type of care is provided in a caregiver’s own home. While many of these sitters accept children of all ages, some providers care for only one specific age group. Some are very relaxed, nurturing, and homelike while others function in a more structured, educational setting like larger childcare centers. The advantages are more individual attention while still having children to play with. The disadvantages are lack of control over your child’s activities and lack of flexible scheduling options.

In-home Care. More and more parents are hiring a caring adult to watch children in their own homes. The benefits of this type of care include: better one-on-one attention, greater control of your child’s daily activities and more flexibility for a parent’s schedule. The only disadvantage is that the parent has to take the responsibility of finding and screening the caregiver, running background checks and conducting interviews to find the right fit. Although, with Sittercity to help, it just became a whole lot easier.

Some parents may choose one option with their first child and then switch to another as more children are added to the mix. Only you know the best options for you and your family.

To get 10% off when you click the image below and use the Code TYPE at checkout:

Sittercity is the first and largest internet baby sitter service in the United States. Unlike smaller sites, they have hundreds of thousands of care providers across the country to make it easy to find the right babysitter for your family!

Now, in addition to babysitters, users can find nannies, pet sitters, house sitters, elder care providers, and tutors!

How Does It Work?

Parents can join on one of two great plans:

Monthly: $39.99 startup plus $9.99 per month.
Annual: $7.99 per month billed annually.

So for less than $100 for a year’s membership…you have access to their job posting features, specific searches for sitters, online background checks, four-step easy screening process, interactive babysitting tools, online classes and more!

Because Sittercity.com is a matchmaking service only, it does not charge any fees for using care providers found on the site! Just your monthly fee for use and you are ready!

You can find out more at Sittercity.com! Try it today…and you can spend tomorrow night out on the town!!!

One of the hardest tasks many parents have is to find a babysitter who is responsible, dependable and one who your children adore. Here are the top ten tips for finding this babysitter and keeping the sitter coming back happy.

1. Get Recommendations from Friends

Whether you are looking for a full-time in-home provider or a sitter for an occasional night on the town, start by asking your friends, coworkers, and neighbors for recommendations.

2. Community Resources

Find out where local babysitting classes are offered near you. These places often keep lists of available babysitters that they would be happy to provide you.

3. Local Colleges and Universities

If there is a local college or nearby university, inquire there. Many early education departments may have places to post your job.

4. Online Babysitting Services

Try an online babysitting site like Sittercity. Some have lists of thousands of sitters available all over the country. You can even search by zip code to see available sitters near you.

5. Interview the Candidates

Make sure to interview potential babysitters. Watch how he or she interacts with your children. Have a list of questions to ask each candidate regarding their experience.

6. Run a Background Check.

Not every sitter is as nice as they may seem. Background checks are well worth the effort. (Some online babysitting services even offer these as part of your membership.)

7. Review your Rules

Go over your rules and expectations with any new babysitter. Be clear on everything from using the phone, to TV watching to having guests.

8. Make Their Job a Pleasant One

Remind your children that the babysitter is in charge and that the house rules still apply. Have special snacks or movies for the babysitter for once the kids are in bed…anything to let them know that he or she is appreciated.

9. Be Home on Time

Value your sitter’s time by arriving back when you said that you would. Be respectful of his or her schedule.

10. Show your Appreciation

A babysitter is caring for your precious children. Remember to show how much it means to you to know that they are in good hands while you are away.

Need help finding a babysitter? Sittercity allows you to “Try It” free before you sign up! Put in your zip code to see the available sitters in your area before you ever need to sign up!

Check it out…you may be surprised just how many great babysitters live right near you.

If you are looking to save some money, you may want to look at your babysitting cots and ways to reduce them.

Many families spend a large part of their budget on childcare. Here are 5 simple ways to reduce the overall costs to your family:

Swap with a Friend

Most parents with small children need babysitters too! Why not watch their children while they go out and then have them watch yours another night? This way you both get time away, the kids get a play date, and you don’t have to pay for a babysitter!

Adjust your Schedule

If you or your spouse have flexible scheduling options, simply rearrange your schedule so your kids require less babysitting time!

Start a Babysitting Cooperative

A babysitting cooperative is a group of parents who agree to watch each others’ children while other parents go to the doctor, do their shopping, or simply take a nap. This is especially helpful for stay at home parents who need a break.

Find a Home Day Care Provider who Might Like a Swap

See if they might be interested in taking an additional child or two on an irregular or part-time basis for an hourly fee or in exchange for two or three nights out with her husband while you watch her kids. She may love the idea!

Fire Your Daycare Center If you send your little ones to a daycare center, you may be spending too much on childcare. Parents with multiple children often find that in-home care is less expensive (and more flexible!)

Sittercity allows you to “Try It” free before you sign up! Put in your zip code to see the available sitters in your area before you ever need to sign up!

Check it out…you may be surprised just how many great babysitters live right near you.

Whether you need a great sitter today or next week…Sittercity is a great choice. Sittercity has THOUSANDS of awesome babysitters, housesitters, petsitters and even elder care companions!

Click here to find out more at Sittercity.com! Try it today…and you can spend tomorrow evening out on the town!!!

Looking for a good babysitter? Well maybe you should think twice before you just hire the girl down the road to watch your kids. There are some advantages to having a really good babysitter. Here are the top five advantages to hiring a good sitter.

1. Your Kids Will Have More Fun. If the teenager down the road spends 90% of the time at your home text messaging her boyfriend and the other 10% watching T.V, how much fun is that for your kids? A good babysitter will play with the kids, take walks, play games and really entertain them. (I don’t even think mine has ever tried to turn on the T.V.)

2. Complimentary Care! Kids benefit from being exposed to different experiences. Some play sports or read books with the kids. My babysitter is more creative and helps them do arts and crafts that I would never think of doing!

3. A Clean House Ever come home to a house cleaner than you left it? A good babysitter may not only clean up after your kids, but also spruce up things a bit once the kids are all in bed.

4. Safety. A good babysitter is responsible. If something happens to your child when you are gone, you need to know that this person will know exactly what to do.

5. You Will Be More Willing To Go Out. When you are nervous about a sitter, you won’t ever want to go out or you will hire one only when absolutely necessary. But if the kids have a good time, the house isn’t destroyed, and you feel your kids are safe, you will be more willing to go out and have a good time…and happy parents make better parents any day.

Need help finding a great babysitter for your kids?
Sittercity is offering our visitors 10% off now. Click the banner below to qualify and spend tomorrow night out on the town.

Try Sittercity today!

If you are thinking that you need a summer nanny, now is the time to take action. Many college students are finished for the summer and are home looking for work. Since your children only have a few weeks left before summer break, now is the perfect time to find a great summer babysitter.

They also can take your kids to play dates, the zoo, the beach or anywhere else that may be fun for the summer. Instead of being stuck in a daycare center, your kids will be enjoying summer fun.

Don’t know any college-aged sitters? Well, you no longer have to hunt all over town to find them. You can try a matchmaking site like Sittercity right from your computer.

Sites like these give you get access to their job posting features, specific searches for sitters, access to online background checks, easy screening processes, interactive babysitting tools, and more for less than $100.

If you don’t want to search for the sitters, you can let them find you. Just post the summer job on the sites. You fill in the detailed information– hours needed, pay available, number of children involved, and any other specifics. That job will be then be available to all registered local babysitters, and they can apply to you through e-mail if they are interested.

If you are going to need a nanny in a few weeks, then don’t delay and let someone else get the nanny that you want. Post your nanny job today and you may have a fun plan for the summer by the end of the week!

Sittercity offers a “Try It” option to check availability of sitters near you for for free.

You can search by zip code to see a list of sitters currently available in your area. You will have access to pictures, reviews, lists of skills, ages, types of sitting, and more. With the “Try It” option you can make sure you have good options before you ever sign up to become a member.

Why not “Try It” now?