Thursday, August 27, 2009

Real Reviews

Sittercity.com Halloween savings - 40% off monthly memberships w/code BOO expires 10/31

Who would you feel safe leaving your child with? Most of us would probably say a friend or family member, or maybe a sitter a friend has used and recommended. But what if you're short on connections? What if you're new to an area or need a sitter while traveling?

SitterCity.com
the largest online sitter-parent matching service, relieves a little parental anxiety by allowing you to run background checks, check references, and conduct interviews on hundreds of thousands of sitters and nannies. You could do all this on your own, sure, but withSitterCity.com
neat and clean interface and easy-to-navigate site, you won't want to. The question is, how much are you willing to pay for convenience and a little extra peace of mind? Access toSitterCity.com
costs $9.95 per month (with a $39.99 sign up fee), or $95.88 per year.

I checked around online, on message boards and such, and could not find a negative review ofSitterCity.com
by anyone who had used the service, either as a parent looking for a sitter or as a sitter looking for work. The only complaints I saw were about the cost. Several large corporations, including Children's Healthcare of Atlanta even offer the service as part of their benefits package.


Find the best local senior care at Sittercity.com

I'd be remiss, however, if I didn't mention this story from last December: Here in Georgia a nanny was arrested for abusing her charge. She had been listed withSitterCity.com
for four years, and that's where the child's parents had found her.SitterCity.com
immediately cancelled the sitter's account (and stresses that this is the only incident of its kind sinceSitterCity.com
inception). News stories interviewed locals who questioned whether finding a sitter or nanny online was a wise thing to do. The story underscores the fact that you can't be complacent about safety concerns when it comes to hiring a child care provider. You run the same risks regardless of where you find your sitter, and "online" has nothing to do with it. By making the "homework" more convenient to do, SitterCity actually increases the chances that parents will follow through with reference checking and background checks.

Here's how it works:
Upon registration, you'll have the opportunity to run a background check on yourself. It's $9.99. You can also run background checks on other users. You set up a profile that includes your contact info, info about your family, and the type of help you're looking for. To post a job, you provide a general description of your needs, your ZIP code, the hourly rate that you're willing to pay, dates, whether it's a one time or recurring job, and the job's start time and end time. You'll choose from sitters who apply to your posting.


Find the perfect pet sitter at Sittercity.com


SitterCity.com
sitter search allows you to narrow results according to over a dozen criteria, including whether the sitter smokes, is ok with pets, and the sitter's rate range. A search for sitters within 15 miles of my ZIP returned over a dozen results. Of those, three had background checks, but most had no reviews yet.

Sitter profile information include a photo, a feedback ("star") rating, and the distance from your ZIP. The sitter's (extensive) profile also shows the hourly rate she requires, whether she has her own transportation, and the distance the sitter is willing to travel. You can read the reviews others have left for the sitter and see references, which you can check via email or phone. A weekly and hourly schedule shows you when the sitter is available. A sidebar guides you through the 4-step screening process: check refs, review feedback, interview candidate, run background check. There's also a place for you to leave notes. I actually found a sitter who would be perfect for us and whom I would feel comfortable contacting.


Need a tutor? Sittercity.com


Seeking to be more than just a search engine,SitterCity.com
also offers helpful information for both parent and sitter. You'll find articles on creating a good relationship between you and your sitter, a parent babysitter interview checklist, even ideas for babysitters for fun activities.

So is SitterCity worth the money? I'd pay $39.99 to find a good sitter--if I had to. To spring for the $95.88 yearly membership, I'd have to be sure that I'd use the service at least seven times. If you find a good sitter the first time, you won't need to.

Sittercity.com Halloween savings - 40% off monthly memberships w/code BOO expires 10/31