Sittercity.com Holiday Guide 2005
November 1, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Be ready for the holidays with these tips from Sittercity
Following are insights and topics of interest to parents and babysitters for the holiday season. Genevieve Thiers, founder and chief executive officer of Sittercity.com is available for interviews. Sittercity.com also can facilitate interviews with parents and sitters.
Holiday gifts or bonuses for the nanny or sitter
This is a personal preference, however, the majority of parents give sitters a bonus or gift during the holidays. If possible, Thiers recommends a combination of both: a monetary bonus and a small gift, maybe a craft from the kids. "It's nice to give sitters something that they can really use, like extra holiday money, but also a little personal touch to demonstrate that they are not just an employee," says Thiers. While there obviously aren't standards, Thiers says her rule of thumb is a cash bonus equivalent to a typical night of babysitting for the occasional sitter and one week's pay for a full-time nanny. Most sitters on Sittercity.com have some personal stories of funny, appropriate and downright awful gifts they've received (including a cheesy puppy calendar, a frame with the word Christmas on it for a Jewish sitter and a Timex watch for a sitter "who took a lickin' but kept on tickin'"). However, many sitters agree that it's nice to get a small token from a family they work for regularly.
What's the going rate for New Year's Eve and when should parents book?
Some sitters have been known to double their rates for special occasions like New Year's Eve and Valentine's Day, says Thiers. After all, your sitter has a life too, and might be foregoing a date or personal engagement to sit with the kids. Caregivers on Sittercity.com say that they usually discuss with parents an increase for special occasions, and let the parents offer up what they think is an appropriate rate over the normal charge. Unfortunately, in this scenario, parents are at the mercy of economics (scarcity of sitters equals higher rates). Thiers urges parents to reserve sitters for New Year's Eve in late November or early December. Also, confirming with your sitter a week or two before can help avoid last-minute changes.
How does one go about hiring a sitter for a holiday party?
With a good sitter, parents don't need to stop entertaining at home because of the kids, says Thiers. When hiring a sitter to watch your children, and children of guests at a party, make sure the sitter is aware of how many children will be involved and their ages. Also, set clear expectations for the sitter, such as where the children are allowed to play and how long the sitter is expected to stay. Thiers also recommends planning various activities to help the sitter keep the children occupied.
Babysitting -- a great way to make extra cash for the holidays
Those interested in pursuing sitter or nanny jobs don't need to look any further than Sittercity.com. Sitters, over age 17, can register on the site for free. Thiers recommends that sitters review tips on the site about making profiles stand out to parents.
Sittercity.com gift certificates
Gift certificates can be purchased for 1, 2 or 3 year memberships to Sittercity.com. The gift certificates are a unique and thoughtful way of giving parents the opportunity to get some more quality time for themselves, according to Thiers.