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!

Confused about babysitter rates? Finding the right babysitter can be a large undertaking. There are many things to consider such as age and experience and this is all before settling on appropriate rate.

When choosing an adequate salary or hourly rate there are a few thing to consider.

• The distance your babysitter must travel to get to your home. This can be overcome by considering adding a bonus to help combat high fuel costs.

• The rate is directly related to the number of children being watched. More children will cost more.

• The age of your child or children, infants usually warrant a higher pay rate than older children.

• The days you need covered will also play a role in the salary. If for instance you need someone over the weekend or for extended hours know that you will be required to pay more.

In addition, how much you will have to pay for a babysitter will depend on many other factors.

First and foremost will be your location. The rates will vary widely from rural to urban areas as well as certain parts of the country. For instance, what you pay in a small town will be vastly different from what you would pay in New York City!

Check the daycare centers in your area as well as talking to friends and family to get the going rates for your geographic area. Generally speaking going rates today run anywhere from $4 per hour all the way to $25 per hour.

If you are still unsure, pay the babysitter a little more than the average babysitting rates for your area.

Sittercity offers a few calculator on their site to determine the going rate in your area. In addition, babysitters will post their required babysitting rates as well.

To check out rates in your area, visit Sittercity.com.

As the economy has forced more and more families to seek additional income, many families need the stay-at-home parent to go back to work and are seeking good qualified child care for their children. However, they are not talking to friends or looking to Grandma, they are going online.

Yes, they are going to the internet to find good childcare options.

It really isn’t that unusual. We now do some shopping, look for phone numbers, check the weather and get news all from our computers or iPhones…why not a babysitter?

Sound risky? Actually it is probably less risky than asking a neighbor for a reference.

There are now online matchmaking sites that make it easy to search for great local babysitters who will lovingly take care of your children in their homes or yours. You can check references, browse feedback from other parents and even run extensive background checks on any sitter before you even interview them.

Some of these sites let you search babysitters by interests, experience and education in addition to location. Most of the time you can look through the sitter information before you ever sign up.

Is it expensive? Not really. You are charged a membership fee for the service and are not charged any additional fees even if you use multiple sitters. So you can find qualified day care for the days while you are working and even find a babysitter for a Friday night out.

Finding a good babysitter has never been easier.

As summer starts to wind down, it is that time again to find an after school babysitter for the upcoming school year. Don’t wait too long. School will start before you know it.

Don’t stress…we have five easy tips to finding the right back-to-school babysitter.

1. Check out local colleges and universities. While your kids are preparing for back to school, college students are doing the same. These students often make some of the best and most responsible babysitters that you can find anywhere. Many can pick your kids up from school, take them to appointments and after school activities and even make them a great dinner.

2. Ask your friends– While they will not be too willing to give you the name of their favorite sitter, they may know someone else who may be able to watch your kids.

3. Ask teachers or pastors. These people know good caregivers in the area or young people who may want an after school job.

4. Arrange a swap. If you only need after school care for a few days each week, why not try to swap days with another parent? They can watch your kids the days that you need an after school sitter and, in return, you can watch their children on the days that they are in need.

5. Try an online matchmaking service. Sittercity has thousands of awesome babysitters all over the country. You can search their databases before you even sign up to find great babysitters right in your local area that would be a good fit to watch your little ones.

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.

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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.