The search for the perfect sitter could be right at your fingertips.
"I recommend care.com as well as sittercity.com."
Mia Redrick, The Mom Strategist says sites like these do a lot of the work for you.
"There's a pool of babysitters that are online, or nannies or people who will do basic housework, and you put your profile in. They put their profile in, and you select days and the times that you're looking for and the dollar amount that you're willing to pay for a sitter and they reach out to you or you can reach out to them as well."
You can search exactly what you're looking for, experience, background checks, references, and location.
While Redrick says these sites are reliable, some people with concerns about privacy may not be comfortable.
"You may want to use more relationships type tools to find your sitter."
Where to start, Mia has a trick for that. She says, consider a college student, but not just any student.
"If you get an education major you already know they love children. If you get a sophomore they come back to school their junior year and their senior year and you're not still searching for a sitter."
Another tip, have a standing appointment so you're a regular. Schedule yourself a date night every other Friday.
"When you have a great sitter and they don't have a time that they can frequently babysit for your family, then other families take those great sitters.
Certifications like CPR or sitting classes are nice for younger sitters, but a great recommendation goes a long way.
"The best way to hire a sitter is to talk to parents that have hired that sitter before and find out what they say about them. That's the greatest way to figure out if a sitter is great or not, not a class."
