Advice on finding a sitter for just a couple mornings a week

[Anonymous]

Ok, I've been trying to do this without childcare but I think I've hit my limit. My 3-year-old was supposed to start public preschool this fall but obviously that's not happening.

I work freelance so my work is variable, and has been somewhat hit or miss since the pandemic started. Some of my clients have disappeared completely, some have paused work, and a couple are actually a little busier. It's inconsistent enough that FT care doesn't seem feasible -- I don't want to commit to something that might become financially hard to deal with if my work slows down completely.

So I'm trying to figure out if we can find someone to just come just 2-3 mornings a week (probably 6-10 hours). Ideally, the sitter would take my daughter our of the house most days, to the park or just for a walk. Our apartment is not large and we don't have a yard, so this would give us the best "break". Though obviously if the weather was too bad to go outside, they could stay at our house and hang out in our daughter's room and it would be fine.

Has anyone done this? Is it hard to find someone for this kind of schedule? I've poked around on Urban Sitter a bit, as that's how we've hired sitters on an ad-hoc basis in the past, but I haven't gotten any bites on my listing yet, after about a week. I've asked friends, but haven't gotten any leads -- our friends with nannies only seem to know people who are looking for something full time. We used to have a great sitter we used with some frequency, the college-age daughter of one of my colleagues, but her campus is closed for the foreseeable future so she is staying home with her parents and doesn't have any friends in town who are interested.

Any advice welcome. Am I just being unrealistic about these expectations, especially with pandemic-concerns? I'm getting increasing desperate.

[Anonymous]

Do you have any sahm friends who may want the extra money? or have a similar aged kid where you could trade off with each other?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you have any sahm friends who may want the extra money? or have a similar aged kid where you could trade off with each other?

No SAHMs, unfortunately, though that's a good idea -- I will ask around to see if someone knows someone in an adjacent social circle. Would be nice to be able to drop my kid off at someone else's house for a few hours.

I've reached out to my mom group and parents from our old co-op about doing trade-offs, but people always just say they would be up for playdates at the park. Which is fine, just not what I'm looking for. That's why I was hoping to hire someone, to make it clear this is actual childcare and not just a get together or a favor.

[Anonymous]

where are you located? QuadJobs.com is a good resource for finding college students but mostly seem to go to AU.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you have any sahm friends who may want the extra money? or have a similar aged kid where you could trade off with each other?

I would be cautious about this. I am a SAHM and would feel offended if someone asked if they could pay me to watch their kids for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:where are you located? QuadJobs.com is a good resource for finding college students but mostly seem to go to AU.

Yes - I would look for a college kid or other student. I have had a lot of success on Quadjobs. There is also a Facebook Group called GW Nursing Babysitters Club that may have some interested people. https://www.facebook.com/groups/339922479528694

If you have a friend who has a nanny and a similarly aged kid, you might see if the nanny wants to pick up extra money by picking up an extra kid but I would proceed carefully and make sure that your finances and expectations are clearly set before you start this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you have any sahm friends who may want the extra money? or have a similar aged kid where you could trade off with each other?

I would be cautious about this. I am a SAHM and would feel offended if someone asked if they could pay me to watch their kids for them.

Good point. Though I think at this point it would be a friend of a friend, so there might be a buffer there. I think I'd only reach out to someone who had expressed an interest in making some money this way. But agree I should be sensitive to this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:where are you located? QuadJobs.com is a good resource for finding college students but mostly seem to go to AU.

Yes - I would look for a college kid or other student. I have had a lot of success on Quadjobs. There is also a Facebook Group called GW Nursing Babysitters Club that may have some interested people. https://www.facebook.com/groups/339922479528694

If you have a friend who has a nanny and a similarly aged kid, you might see if the nanny wants to pick up extra money by picking up an extra kid but I would proceed carefully and make sure that your finances and expectations are clearly set before you start this.

Thank you! These are both very helpful leads.

[Anonymous]

If you can make it a 5 day per week job for 3-5 hours, say 7-10/12, it’ll be easier to find someone. Be prepared to pay a premium.

[Anonymous]

I’m a SAHM and I’ve had a babysitter for 10ish hours a week for many years.

It’s hard to find and even harder right now. Usually college students are your best bet, but there are fewer around now. I think it helps to guarantee X hours per week and yet still be flexible in your schedule. Like, if your sitter has something come up, she can move her hours to another day with 48 hours notice. The sitters I’ve had have appreciated that they’re mostly not screwing me over if they have a friend in town or social engagement or exam coming up and have to move their hours around. That’s something you can possibly offer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you can make it a 5 day per week job for 3-5 hours, say 7-10/12, it’ll be easier to find someone. Be prepared to pay a premium.

NP and I'm looking for Mon-Fri, 8-1. Do you know what the rate would be? We're between Dupont and U St metro stations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you can make it a 5 day per week job for 3-5 hours, say 7-10/12, it’ll be easier to find someone. Be prepared to pay a premium.

NP and I'm looking for Mon-Fri, 8-1. Do you know what the rate would be? We're between Dupont and U St metro stations.

8-1 is core hours, so $25+/hour.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you have any sahm friends who may want the extra money? or have a similar aged kid where you could trade off with each other?

I would be cautious about this. I am a SAHM and would feel offended if someone asked if they could pay me to watch their kids for them.

I wouldn’t be offended, but I wouldn’t want to do it.

[Anonymous]

I don't know if there is a big difference between Urban Sitter and Care.com, but I found this recently on Care.com. I found a college student and picked the mornings she had available with no class. I am paying $18 after taxes on the books.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you can make it a 5 day per week job for 3-5 hours, say 7-10/12, it’ll be easier to find someone. Be prepared to pay a premium.

NP and I'm looking for Mon-Fri, 8-1. Do you know what the rate would be? We're between Dupont and U St metro stations.

8-1 is core hours, so $25+/hour.

Thanks