Care.com Review
Friday, February 3, 2012
If I know anything, I know what it’s like to be a busy mom. With a lively toddler and a needy newborn baby, my days are full and tiring. Some nights I collapse into bed, without ever having taken time that day just for myself. Not too long ago, a close friend of mine began to notice I wasn’t quite myself – stressed and somewhat short-tempered, she suggested I needed a night out. I knew she was right, but I wasn’t sure how to get a babysitter, since not many of my friends have kids. With no reliable referrals, I just wasn’t sure where to find a caregiver for my kids.
My friend told me about Care.com, a website for families looking for caregivers and a place for caregivers to find work. The site serves people looking for caregivers of all kinds, including nannies, special needs care, tutoring and private lessons, home health care, pet sitting, housekeeping, personal assistants, and of course, babysitters. I laughed when my friend told me about the site; why hadn’t I thought of searching online for a sitter before?
Care.com takes its service seriously; they know that we moms are only looking for the best caregivers for our kids. That’s why they provide mom-reviewed caregivers, free background checks, and recorded references for each profile.
Finding local babysitters was really easy. I visited the site, and before I knew it, I was looking at pages of perspective caregivers from which to choose. It’s almost overwhelming, actually, which is why I was so glad to see that you could narrow your search any number of ways. I could seek out a non-smoker within a few miles of my house, with her own transportation, who doesn’t mind that I have two dogs. It made the pages and pages of results I pulled up initially a little less intimidating!
One of the great things about Care.com is that you can read the profiles without being a member. If you’re not sure if Care.com is for you, you can get a good idea of the service without committing to spend money up front. Once you know the site is what you’re looking for, you join up for access to contact information, references, and background checks. Since I’m not one to throw my money around, this was a big plus for me.
Care.com made it possible for me to find good, quality babysitters without a lot of hassle. My kids love the several sitters we use, and I feel comfortable and confident that I’ve found the right people for the job. Plus, now I get out of the house for the occasional manicure and pedicure or movie night out with the girls! Not to mention romantic date nights with my husband…