Anonymous
Post 09/12/2020 13:44     Subject: Advice on finding a sitter for just a couple mornings a week
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote: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.



When I needed 1-2 hours of regular help, I asked the teachers/caregivers (since they are not actually licensed teachers) at my kid's preschool. I paid $20/hour for the teacher to come over, get the daycare kid ready, and take the kid to preschool. I learned that she was getting paid less than $14/hour by the daycare and that some other teachers had second jobs in retail or regular babysitting.


Basically, you could hire a daycare caregiver to work 6:30am-9:30am or similar. For a daycare center to provide 7-6 type of long hours, they have to stagger the teachers schedules, so there are teachers that start work only at 9:30 or 10am. They could stop by your house, work a few hours, and then start their work. Or some center floaters (those who help with whichever center classroom that needs help because a teacher is sick or on vacation) would also have more flexible schedules. There could be all these people who used to do substitute teaching that might be available.
Anonymous
Post 09/12/2020 13:41     Subject: Advice on finding a sitter for just a couple mornings a week
Anonymous wrote: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.



When I needed 1-2 hours of regular help, I asked the teachers/caregivers (since they are not actually licensed teachers) at my kid's preschool. I paid $20/hour for the teacher to come over, get the daycare kid ready, and take the kid to preschool. I learned that she was getting paid less than $14/hour by the daycare and that some other teachers had second jobs in retail or regular babysitting.
Anonymous
Post 09/12/2020 13:37     Subject: Advice on finding a sitter for just a couple mornings a week
Anonymous wrote: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.


Try care dot com or put an ad on Nextdoor (your neighbors).

Anonymous
Post 09/12/2020 12:33     Subject: Advice on finding a sitter for just a couple mornings a week
It's an excellent gig for a stay at home mom. You are contributing financially to your family instead of being a drag on it.
Anonymous
Post 09/12/2020 11:33     Subject: Re:Advice on finding a sitter for just a couple mornings a week
Anonymous wrote:
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.


Why would you be offended?
I work part time and have had friends ask if they could pay me to watch their kids for them in a pinch. I am happy they would think of me and trust me with their kids. What's to be offended about?


new poster here
"in a pinch" is not the same as something that is planned out and on a regular basis.
Anonymous
Post 09/12/2020 05:16     Subject: Re:Advice on finding a sitter for just a couple mornings a week
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.


Why would you be offended?
I work part time and have had friends ask if they could pay me to watch their kids for them in a pinch. I am happy they would think of me and trust me with their kids. What's to be offended about?
Anonymous
Post 09/06/2020 17:21     Subject: Advice on finding a sitter for just a couple mornings a week
Are you on NextDoor? Do you live in a neighborhood with teens doing distance learning? These seem like good candidates to me, except they like to sleep late and would probably prefer an afternoon job over a morning job.
Anonymous
Post 09/06/2020 17:13     Subject: Advice on finding a sitter for just a couple mornings a week
I use Care.com.
Anonymous
Post 09/06/2020 16:00     Subject: Advice on finding a sitter for just a couple mornings a week
My college senior DD would love this gig!

Where are you, OP? My DD is at GMU.
Anonymous
Post 09/06/2020 13:38     Subject: Re:Advice on finding a sitter for just a couple mornings a week
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.



Sister had a similar (opposite) situation several years ago. She went to work each morning as a teacher and DH awas freelancer at home with unknown hours but saw clients there. Next door neighbor was a sahm and offered to sit at a very reasonable rate. That woman was a life saver and obviously not at all offended!

OP-- No sitter will want to be locked in a small bedroom for several hours -- that is awful.
Anonymous
Post 09/02/2020 14:08     Subject: Re:Advice on finding a sitter for just a couple mornings a week
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.


The tactful way to do this is bring up to a SAHM that you are looking for a part-time babysitter and are having trouble even though your listing says they can bring their kid(s) with them. If they would want to do it they would likely volunteer. If not, no hurt feelings and you might even get a few leads.