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How to pick a sitter?

missfiremissfire member
in Babies: 0 - 3 Months

I'm looking for someone to watch my babies while I go to a weekly appointment, and eventually get some time to myself. I haven't had any luck yet asking friends & neighbors for recommendations, but there are at least 60 people in the area on Care.com.

How do I go about choosing from 60 sitters I've never met? There's just a short personal statement setting them apart, and they just don't tell me much at all.

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Re: How to pick a sitter?

  • HyfagalHyfagal member
    Can you narrow down a few favorites and ask them for references?
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  • bisforbeatricebisforbeatrice
    Maybe you could just watch your own children until you find someone you know to watch them. Who hires a total stranger. references or not, to watch their child?
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  • RubineLimeRubineLime

    It may seem odd, but I would look them up on Facebook first. Unconventional? Yes. But employers do it all the time. If they seem all sweet and nice on care.com, but their Facebook profile is full of pics of them drunk and dancing half naked on a bar in Belize, well, I'd go to the next one in line.

     

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  • HyfagalHyfagal member

    imagebisforbeatrice:
    Maybe you could just watch your own children until you find someone you know to watch them. Who hires a total stranger. references or not, to watch their child?

    How nice that you can do it all on your own. It must be a wonderful existence.

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  • missfiremissfire member

    imagebisforbeatrice:
    Maybe you could just watch your own children until you find someone you know to watch them. Who hires a total stranger. references or not, to watch their child?

    Wow, bisforbeatrice, maybe that's not actually what the "B" is for!

    I have to go to physical therapy for my back. My friends nearby who are home during the day are home with kids of their own and can't take on 2 or 3 more kids on their own.

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  • VMRRN23VMRRN23 member
    I'm struggling with the same thing right now. I am looking at sittercity.com and care.com. I agree with the pp about facebook, esp. since employers do look at that stuff and they'd be your employee. I would narrow down the sitters as much as you can (make sure they have background or CORI checks, non-smoking, etc.) and then just pick a few to meet with and interview. See how they interact with your LO. I have only interviewed a nursing student so far (whom I love and hope my schedule works with hers), but if it doesn't, I'm looking for experience and for those who are nurses or early childhood majors. GL! 
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  • RubineLimeRubineLime
    imagemissfire:
    ...

    I have to go to physical therapy for my back. My friends nearby who are home during the day are home with kids of their own and can't take on 2 or 3 more kids on their own.

    Is there a daycare center or church near you that does a call-ahead/drop-off service once or twice a week (or however often you need to go to PT)? That might be an easier option than interviewing random sitters from an online database. 

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