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Ah the joys of having a reliable babysitter! Calgary mother Marianne Boucher knows the feeling. She's beaten the familiar scramble that arises with last–minute invitations, travel plans or the loss of services of a regular sitter. She's even got those tricky holidays covered, when the need to line up sitters becomes even more pressing and competition for sitters intensifies.
Her secret? Online sites like CanadianSitter.ca and BabysittingConnection.com.
Online registries fill childcare gap
CanadianSitter.ca was borne out of the frustration another Oakville, Ont., parent felt when she began looking for childcare. Martha Scully had used babysitting as a way of earning money while at university and hit upon the idea of an online registry to bring qualified, post-secondary students and parents together. Most existing babysitting Web sites were in the business of finding full-time caregivers for families. "With CanadianSitter, I wanted to fill the gap between the nanny agencies and the teens who babysit in their neighbourhoods."
Scully's site has been a huge success, providing parents with easy access to 2,400 university-educated babysitters across the country. For $39.95, parents get three months of access to the database, which they can search by location.
"People get a little nervous about using online services, but we pre-screen sitters to ensure they're over 18 years old and are registered at college or university," Scully says. The rest — interviewing, checking references and negotiating wages and responsibilities — is up to parents.
Boucher has been using CanadianSitter.ca for over eight months, and recommends it highly. "As a first-time mom, I had fears about leaving my daughter in someone else's care. But the sitters I've found through the site have alleviated those fears. They've all been intelligent and mature," she explains. "I feel confident leaving them in charge. It's been a real godsend."
Not only does Boucher plan on using the service when she returns to university, she also employs babysitters found through the site while travelling. "Using hotel babysitters is much more restrictive, with minimum hours, hotel service charges and no way of contacting the sitter ahead of time. With CanadianSitter I could chat with potential sitters over the phone and get to know them a bit before we arrived, so it isn't a total stranger coming to our hotel room."
Sitters’ profiles include their babysitting experience, education and references. Parents can also offer feedback on sitters.
Research babysitting rates
Rates vary across the country, from minimum wage to $11 per hour. Holidays, except New Year's Eve, don't bring higher fees, though a bonus or small gift is appreciated and helps to build a good relationship with your sitter. While it might be tempting to book well in advance of the holidays, Scully advises two to three weeks ahead is plenty. "If there's a big gap between when you book and the date you need the sitter, the arrangement is more apt to fall through."
Look locally in your own community
Other places worth checking are community association Web sites, like Montreal's Circle Road or Calgary's Mount Royal. These sites often post a list of local babysitters or a contact number where parents can obtain one. Other community Web sites, like Riverdale Toronto, provide free classified ad space where parents and sitters can connect.
Once you've connected with a sitter, ask about their experience and professional courses, like those offered by the Canadian Red Cross or St John Ambulance. The most important information to obtain is references from former employers, says St. John Ambulance senior training officer Lib Mendonça. They're the best indication that a person is trustworthy and capable of caring for your children.
Create an emergency checklist for each sitter
Remember to leave a checklist of phone numbers and other important information on the fridge for the sitter. To save time, use a printable emergency contact list that works well in tandem with a babysitter's guide, which can be filled in with relevant details each time you go out.
If you'd like to make your own checklist, include all vital details, leaving enough blank spaces to write in extra information the babysitter will need. Some examples of what to include are:
- General info:
- Our names:
- Address, phone number:
- Cell phone or pager number:
- Name, phone number and location of where we'll be:
- Time we plan to be home:
- House key is kept:
- Car key is kept:
- First-aid supplies are kept:
- Medications are kept:
- Family phone numbers:
- Contact us if:
— a child is crying for more than 30 minutes and you can't figure out what's wrong;
— a child develops a fever or is injured (more than a scrape);
— a situation develops you feel you can’t handle without help.
- If you can’t reach us in an emergency, try other family members listed above.
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Writer, Ilona Biro
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