5 TIPS ON WAYS PARENTS CAN KEEP THEIR CHILDREN SAFE WHEN CHOOSING A SITTER.

5 TIPS ON WAYS PARENTS CAN KEEP THEIR CHILDREN SAFE WHEN CHOOSING A SITTER.

We know you’re in the thick of summer. If you’re a planner like we are, you may have already started looking into back to school supplies. (Is it mid-July already?!?) Amidst the later bedtimes, get-togethers, vacations and such, the childcare industry sees an influx of work in summer months. 

Nanny Nod is pleased to have the opportunity to partner with Ifrah Khan, creator of Usit, for this practical and exciting topic. Usit is an on-demand babysitting app geared toward last-minute sitting needs. Created by Ifrah in 2017 during her senior year of Emory University, she noticed there was a great divide between high school babysitting opportunities and college opportunities. She decided to create a service that provided Atlanta parents with top university student sitters while also providing a helpful resource for students looking for work. All students are undergrad or grad and currently enrolled in an accredited college/university.

Having placed numerous compatible sitters with families, we asked Ifrah to give us: 5 TIPS ON WAYS PARENTS CAN KEEP THEIR CHILDREN SAFE WHEN CHOOSING A SITTER.

1. When deciding on how you will find your sitter, do your research.  Ask your friends what they use to find sitters – they probably won’t want to share their sitters with you but they definitely will share the platforms they use and trust to find sitters.  

2. Choose a platform that vets the sitters for you. This means more than just a background check.  Care.com and Urbansitter.com do the minimal vetting and that puts a bigger onus on you on top of all the other work you have to do. Make it easy by looking into platforms that do more. With a 4 step vetting process, Usit makes it easy and safe to find sitters near you.  

3. Make sure your sitter is background checked and has a handful of parent reviews. Background checks give you peace of mind, especially when you do not know the sitter personally. Parent reviews also go a long way and it’s really important to get a sense of the sitter’s babysitting experience through reviews.  

4. Try to get a sense of your sitter’s personality to see if they would be compatible with not only your kids but you, your spouse, and your home. Look at their profile on the sitter finding platform you use and see what they like to do for fun, what activities they are involved in at school, and how much effort they’ve put into their profile. Request more information if you’re still unsure.  

5. Request your newly hired sitter to come 30 minutes early while you are still at home. To get a sense of how your sitter interacts and warms up to the kids, how he/she is personality-wise, and for your peace of mind, you should request your newly hired sitter to come early. Make sure you let he/she know the “do’s and don’ts” because some things like “no tv” or “clean up after the kids” aren’t as intuitive as you’d think if you don’t flat out say it. 

For more info on Usit and Ifrah Khan and their upcoming expansions to Boston and NYC, visit @Usit_app on IG and Twitter.