Back up child care?

oooCarrieB

Anyone else run into problems with needing childcare just for a couple hours at a time randomly? My DH stays home with our toddler during the day, but sometimes he has a meeting for his freelance job during the day or he has a doctor appointment or something is going on where he can't watch her. My neighbor usually will babysit, but she has a lot going on now and I think I might need to find a back up for my back up if that makes sense. I signed up for Care.com today. Anyone have luck with this? Any advice?

cecilyandgautam

For our regular childcare needs, use a licensed in-home provider. Her sister has subbed for her a few times and we like her so she's the first we call when we need back up. I would think that any newly licensed provider would be happy to take last minute jobs until she gets her clientele more established. You could call up your local licensing authority and ask for any providers licensed in the past year in your neighborhood. 

dglvrk2

cecilyandgautam:

For our regular childcare needs, use a licensed in-home provider. Her sister has subbed for her a few times and we like her so she's the first we call when we need back up. I would think that any newly licensed provider would be happy to take last minute jobs until she gets her clientele more established. You could call up your local licensing authority and ask for any providers licensed in the past year in your neighborhood. 

This.

Do you have a local mothers' or parents' group?  I've gone through my mothers' group to get back up child care in the past.  Sometimes parents will post when their nanny wants more hours etc. 

A couple of the other parents at DD's DC and I have agreed to help each other out too.  We've watched each others kids on weekends and plan to do so should our DCP ever need to close for an emergency. (She operates out of her home, so she should close if she's seriously ill etc.).

itsmevkb

We found two really nice babysitters from Care.com.  I also know of at least one place that has drop-in care (Generations at Play north of Bayshore).  It's not a daycare but sort of like the Big Backyard but with more toys and less slides.