How did you find your babysitter?

Princess_Lily

How did you find your sitters?

My mother has been watching our LO sometimes, but I'm finding that date nights/ doc appointments/emergencies may be easier with a sitter.

Are they expensive?  A nanny service can hire someone (licensed) for 4 hours - 80.00.  This includes the nanny for 4 hours and the agency fee.  

How did you find your babysitter? 

n&bcarlson

I needed a sitter for two full days last fall to attend some seminars for volunteer work that I do (I'm normally SAHM).  I signed up for a month membership with care.com and posted my ad about what I needed.  I got about 20 replies and was able to go through and choose the ones that seemed the most promising and set up phone and/or in person meetings.  I found a nice SAHM who lives near by and has a daughter the same age as DD, and was able to work out a fee of $50 a day, which was fantastic.  It's worth checking out.  You only pay the membership fee and then can talk to whoever you want and work out your own price with no additional fees.  I was surprised how many people were right in my area, too, since we're not a major city or anything.

katie_cj

I live with my parents and my brother is 18. He does a lot of babysitting, or one of his friends does. It's a small community and the parents all know each other well.

I also have a mother's helper whose 12, she's the daughter of a family friend. I don't leave her alone with Jake though. I have her come over to entertain him once and a while so I can get big projects done.

When I move in the fall, I'll probably ask around for recommendations. My parents are military, so their coworkers often have teenagers looking to make some money.

wall0307

I'm a high school teacher, and I have one of my past students babysit for us.  We live in the Twin Cities and pay her $8-$10 an hour.  I haven't had her babysit both boys yet.  This weekend. will be the first time.

Worcbride

Sittercity.com---it was an exhausting process....interviewing, checking references etc.  I was at the house for the first few times.  I really connected with this person and it ended up being a great fit.  I pay her $10/hr for one child