Like most parents, you may need to hire a babysitter for at least one holiday gathering or party this season. Some parents will have many nights that they will need a sitter. Unfortunately, sometimes it seems like all the good babysitters already have plans.

Here are top five tips for getting a great sitter this season.

1. Start planning early. The earlier you call a sitter, the more likely they are to still have open days on their calendar. Even before Thanksgiving, many babysitters start filling their holiday calendars. New Year’s Eve may seem a long way off, but you would be surprised at how many babysitters already have the night reserved.

2. Offer to swap kids. Call another parent and see if they can watch your kids for your party and in return you can watch theirs when they need a night out. Not only will it save you money, but it may also give your kids a needed play date while you are out.

3. Have a backup plan. If your sitter gets the flu, you will need a backup. Make sure you have alternatives in a pinch.

4. Develop the reputation for paying babysitters well. If you pay well enough, a sitter will keep those dates open for your family anytime.

5. Try Sittercity. If you can’t find an available sitter, try Sittercity…an internet matchmaking service that matches parents to potential sitters. They have a large list of local sitters with rave reviews and will provide you with that list and background checks for less than the price of a night out!

Don’t let the time get past you. Follow these tips and ease the stress of the holidays with a great babysitter.

Daycare centers are extremely overrated. You can do better for your children. Here are five reasons why you should fire your daycare and hire a nanny for your kids.

1. Your children will get more one-on-one attention. Research shows that everything from school test scores to child self-esteem improve with more one on one attention. If your child is among many other children at a center, how is he getting the attention that he deserves?.

2. Great nannies have become easier to find. You should try 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.

3. You can get a background check. Not every person at a daycare is as nice as they seem. You should make the decision about who is in charge of your children, not the overworked owner of the daycare center. Sittercity offers background checks, so you can be sure of exactly who is minding your kids.

4. More flexibility for you. There is no more rushing out of the office by five just to get stuck in traffic trying to hurry to get to the daycare center before your mandatory pick up time. You can work when you want…not when the daycare tells you that you can. Many nannies will still watch your kids when they are sick, even when daycares would not allow them to be there.

5. It is not as expensive as you might think. One woman I know actually saved over $300 a month by having a nanny watching her children instead of taking them to daycare. She found that is worked better, the children thrived, and it saved her money.

With all these great reasons, you owe it to yourself and your kids to at least consider finally firing the daycare center and making life easier for all of you with a Sittercity nanny .

If you sign-up today and you may the perfect nanny in no time!