It seems like every day we hear a new story about a childcare situation gone wrong. And it's enough to make sure you never let your kids out of your sight. But since that's just not possible (or really, healthy) you need a safe and reliable source for childcare. To help, we rounded up some reputable sources for finding a babysitter or nanny.
Whether you need them to help watch the little during work hours, or want to call upon them for the occasional date night, these are places where you can meet, interview, and find the perfect childcare addition to the family.
Care.com. This is actually the service I used to find my daughter's nanny, and I couldn't be happier with the result. After posting an "ad", detailing exactly what I was looking for, I got about 80-some-odd applicants, and I weeded out from there. A few specifics I mentioned: Non-smoker; someone who's okay with dogs; someone CPR-certified; and at least three good references.
Sittercity.com. Sitter City is a nationwide service that's been around for over a decade, and has a partnership with the Red Cross. It gives detailed profiles of potential candidates; offers background checks, references, and reviews; and has a "4-step screening process" that (hopefully) ensures you and your children wind up with the right choice. (It's good to go with a service that can provide background checks, as doing them on your own can be both time-consuming and expensive.)
eNannySource.com. Another national company that's been around for over 17 years. eNanny has background checks on all members, and they also have what's called a "Safe Nanny Hiring Kit," which is a handy step-by-step hiring guide that helps you keeps track of what screening you've done on each nanny (who you've called, if you've done a background check, etc.).
Seekingsitters.com. Seeking Sitters has been featured in numerous, credible media outlets, such as ABC, NBC, and CNN. They background check all potential sitters, and offer what they refer to as "Certified Sitters."
A note: I'm a big believer in "going with your gut." When I met my daughter's nanny, I knew she was the one. Like I said, I found her on a reputable childcare site — and I had spoke with three families she worked for in the recent past — but when we started talking, I knew I would feel comfortable letting her care for my child. Honestly? She's pretty much one of two people I'd ever leave my child with. So, if you meet someone, and all their references check out, etc., but you just don't feel like it's a good fit, keep looking. After all, nothing's more precious than your baby.
