The Nanny Game
For the past month or so I have been on the hunt for a babysitter/nanny for Little Spooner. For the past year my AMAZING family has been so supportive in watching Little Spooner while I was at work, and they have made my 3-11 shift continue to work for me. Like all good things though, this needed to come to an end. Little Spooner is getting ready to start Pre-School and I felt she needed the stability of remaining at home as much as possible. Along with more home cooked meals, not so much eating out all of the time.
The schedule is nothing incredibly demanding... Just 16-20 hours a week while I am at work. For about 12 of those hours Little Spooner will be SLEEPING. What I really need is someone to be there when she gets dropped off, lovingly tuck her into bed, and just be there with her. The sitter could watch TV once she's in bed, or study, or scrapbook, talk on the phone, surf Pinterest (sounds like this would be an amazing job...). One of the 3 days a week they would have to make her dinner and entertain her for a few hours.
So I joined Sittercity.com. My sister used to have a profile on there when she was looking for nanny work. I paid for the 1 month subscription, and began my search. I didn't want anyone too old, but they couldn't be too young. I needed someone who had their own car and would be okay with going home at 11:30 at night. There were TONS of amazing candidates, all of whom were just looking for summertime work. They all went back to college or started college in the fall. I found this process worse than some of the dating websites I attempted to maneuver myself through when I first split from the ex. I sent out a bunch of emails contacting some of the girls, hoping that they would "pick me!". All the ones I had reached out to were either in early education at Cleveland State, or some sort of Nursing program.
Then I played the waiting game. Can I just say, that there are some babysitters/nannies on this website that request anywhere from $350-$700 a week... after tax I make close to if not just slightly more than that in a 32 hour work week... and I have a degree and an incredibly stressful job! I'm only assuming this, but I am sure that somewhere out there someone will pay one of these girls that much for watching their children, or child... Where were those jobs before I went to college?? Maybe I missed my calling... Nah. Sometimes by the end of the day I cannot wait for it to be Little Spooners bedtime, just so I can sit on the couch in silence... I enjoy getting out of the house and having some adult interaction at work.
Back to the story... I actually heard back from 2 young women. One who seems promising until she told me that she was 7 1/2 months pregnant and would only be out for 6 weeks on maternity leave and then would be back. I politely replied with a "Thank you, and congrats! I am looking to establish a sitter, and not have to find a new one in a month and a half". It seriously crossed my mind thinking, "can she sue me for not considering her for the position because she is pregnant?"... But I never heard back from her. Shortly after that I met who would be "the chosen one". It all seemed a little too good to be true. The daughter of a co-worker of my ex-mother-in-law (did you follow that?) She will be a senior in high school, who is taking college classes and also student teaches (PSEO)... sounds like a pretty motivated teenager. She is considering going into the nursing program, another bonus... It was LOVE at first visit for Little Spooner. Every time I go to work she is continually asking me if the sitter (I will come up with a nickname for her so this is easier to follow) is coming over. Needless to say, a match made in heaven, and she is not requiring $350-700 a week! :)
Good luck out there to anyone out there looking for a sitter/nanny. It was rough. I would reccomend sittercity.com though because it was organzied and easy to follow. Just not sure how many of the people on there were seriously looking for work. Sittercity.com is also good if you are looking for a pet sitter, house sitter, or a caregiver for an elderly famly member.
Have you ever had the same issue? If so, did you use a site, or word of mouth to find the perfect sitter?
-Mommy Spooner
The schedule is nothing incredibly demanding... Just 16-20 hours a week while I am at work. For about 12 of those hours Little Spooner will be SLEEPING. What I really need is someone to be there when she gets dropped off, lovingly tuck her into bed, and just be there with her. The sitter could watch TV once she's in bed, or study, or scrapbook, talk on the phone, surf Pinterest (sounds like this would be an amazing job...). One of the 3 days a week they would have to make her dinner and entertain her for a few hours.
So I joined Sittercity.com. My sister used to have a profile on there when she was looking for nanny work. I paid for the 1 month subscription, and began my search. I didn't want anyone too old, but they couldn't be too young. I needed someone who had their own car and would be okay with going home at 11:30 at night. There were TONS of amazing candidates, all of whom were just looking for summertime work. They all went back to college or started college in the fall. I found this process worse than some of the dating websites I attempted to maneuver myself through when I first split from the ex. I sent out a bunch of emails contacting some of the girls, hoping that they would "pick me!". All the ones I had reached out to were either in early education at Cleveland State, or some sort of Nursing program.
Then I played the waiting game. Can I just say, that there are some babysitters/nannies on this website that request anywhere from $350-$700 a week... after tax I make close to if not just slightly more than that in a 32 hour work week... and I have a degree and an incredibly stressful job! I'm only assuming this, but I am sure that somewhere out there someone will pay one of these girls that much for watching their children, or child... Where were those jobs before I went to college?? Maybe I missed my calling... Nah. Sometimes by the end of the day I cannot wait for it to be Little Spooners bedtime, just so I can sit on the couch in silence... I enjoy getting out of the house and having some adult interaction at work.
Back to the story... I actually heard back from 2 young women. One who seems promising until she told me that she was 7 1/2 months pregnant and would only be out for 6 weeks on maternity leave and then would be back. I politely replied with a "Thank you, and congrats! I am looking to establish a sitter, and not have to find a new one in a month and a half". It seriously crossed my mind thinking, "can she sue me for not considering her for the position because she is pregnant?"... But I never heard back from her. Shortly after that I met who would be "the chosen one". It all seemed a little too good to be true. The daughter of a co-worker of my ex-mother-in-law (did you follow that?) She will be a senior in high school, who is taking college classes and also student teaches (PSEO)... sounds like a pretty motivated teenager. She is considering going into the nursing program, another bonus... It was LOVE at first visit for Little Spooner. Every time I go to work she is continually asking me if the sitter (I will come up with a nickname for her so this is easier to follow) is coming over. Needless to say, a match made in heaven, and she is not requiring $350-700 a week! :)
Good luck out there to anyone out there looking for a sitter/nanny. It was rough. I would reccomend sittercity.com though because it was organzied and easy to follow. Just not sure how many of the people on there were seriously looking for work. Sittercity.com is also good if you are looking for a pet sitter, house sitter, or a caregiver for an elderly famly member.
Have you ever had the same issue? If so, did you use a site, or word of mouth to find the perfect sitter?
-Mommy Spooner
No joke, the day after I posted this my AWESOME nanny that I found backed out on me... Grrr. Back to the drawing board.
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