Lynn Perkins with her twins
We are incredibly duper ecstatic about launching a series of articles about babysitting, sponsored by UrbanSitter.com. UrbanSitter is a web site and a mobile app that allows you to find sitters YOUR friends like based on Facebook connections. We are big fans, and because babysitting is such a great topic, we’re dividing everything we want to say into five separate posts. This first one is an interview with founder and mommy of two, nearly three, Lynn Perkins.
Lynn, we met at a party last year. Do you recall who was enjoying your twins that night? Do you have an arsenal of sitters or do you have a main squeeze in that department?
We absolutely have a favorite babysitter who has enjoyed our kids fairly regularly over the past few years. I believe she was the babysitter who was with them the night that I met you. I would say that I have three ”˜go-to’ babysitters at any given time and five or six other sitters who have babysat for my kids just a couple of times. The great part is that I found a lot of of these sitters on UrbanSitter and I booked them because they are friends with other sitters I’ve liked. So it is an arsenal of sitters, but a lot of of them know each other.
What’s the best recommendations you’ve received about hiring or managing a babysitter?
Spend time enjoying the sitter interacting with your children before you leave.
Make sure your instructions are clearly explained or written out, including when, under what certain scenarios you would like the sitter to phone or contact you. For example, do you want her to call if your child won’t eat his broccoli, if he won’t sleep, or only if there is an emergency.
UrbanSitter had just launched when we met. Are you shocked by the way the past 12 months have gone?
I’m delighted with the growth to date and ecstatic that the network of parents and sitters continues to grow. It’s amazing how small the world is and how lots of connections are made daily.
How did you get the idea to create UrbanSitter?
As busy parents, we saw a need – we were finding it time consuming and tough to find a trusted sitter that was actually available when we needed the help. We needed a way to simplify and personalize the process, so parents could go online to find babysitters recommended by friends.
You told me that parents and sitters both get uneasy when the moment of payment comes. What did they tell you about that?
Parents and sitters report feeling awkward at the time of payment because parents often forget the agreed upon rate, and then it is uneasy for the sitters when parents are counting out cash. Sitters want to know they are getting the agreed upon rate, but don’t want to count the money in front of the parents. We introduced a “pay online” option that helps parents and sitters avoid this awkwardness.
This one is for the rookies. What did you learn in your first year as a mommy that shocked you?
I have twins so my greatest lesson learned the first year relates to having two babies. I remember following recommendations from books or doctors with both babies. One would react exactly like the book or doctor told me he would. The other would react completely differently. It made me a a lot more kicked back parent because I learned that often as a parent you do everything you can to create the best situation for your child and they may not react how you expect.
Thanks to Lynn for these tidbits about urban Sitter. look for a lot more in the coming weeks, and feel complimentary to post your questions about using babysitters here.