Can anyone give me some advice on where/how to start my search for a sitter to pick my child up from school and care for him until I get home from work?
Currently, he goes to the afterschool program at his elementary school, but he really doesn't like it too much. Also, I would like someone who could focus with him on his homework and maybe supervise some after school playdates with his school friends. I don't feel like the homework thing is something that the afterschool program does very well. And, by the time I get home from work, we are rushed to complete homework, eat dinner and get ready for bed.
I have looked into care.com, but I would love to hear any feedback from familes that have used the site for a sitter. Or, if you have some suggestions of where else I could start looking. I thought about doing some searching on my neighborhood's website. Also, if you have any tips for the selection process, I would love to hear them. I am worried about selecting someone that is responsible, reliable and safe for my son.
Usually the best way to find someone is by word of mouth. Start asking around. Ask your child's teacher, other moms, people at church.
Do you have a college near you? You may want to try contacting them. They often have a system for helping students find employment.
Before you choose someone, make sure you ask for references. Also, arrange a "play date" with your child to see how they interact with each other.
Hi A.,
I sent you a private message but didn't get a response, so perhaps you didn't receive it. My daughter is an honors student at Collin College, and we live in Frisco, too. She has her own car and is a responsible, experienced babysitter who can give you references. She loves children and would definitely help with homework or supervise playdates. She is very interested in knowing more about the position. Please send me a private message or find me on Facebook under M. Fournier Davenport. I look forward to hearing from you!
Look into the local colleges and universities maybe? College students sometimes have more flexible schedules with their classes and may have a couple hours each afternoon available. Especially if there is someone who does tutoring at the university, or an education major who wants to go into teaching.
I just found someone to keep my kids after school, she does homework with them and does a great job. It took almost a year of asking and trying things to find someone that works for us. Keep asking everyone you can, I found my "afternoon nanny" through my cleaning lady. My kids love her, she does things different than me, but I think my kids learn things from her that I would not be able to show them. I appreciate that and am so grateful for my kids to have another perspective to learn from, I think that is very important. Good Luck!
If I were going to do this, I would start at the bus stop. I'd start talking to the moms who were there every day, especially the stay at home moms, to see if any of them were interested in making a few extra dollars. After all, they have kids who need to do their homework after school too.
You cannot let anyone else help him with his homework. Seriously, programs are not set up to do the kids homework. You really want someone you don't know helping him do his homework???? What if they don't do it right and he learns something the wrong way?
You are just going to have to set aside a time for his homework when you get home. I didn't even allow kids to do their homework at my center. That is the parents job not a child care centers job. I have 20 kids to be responsible for and cannot sit and help someone do their homework. Also that limits what the other kids can do, if one is sitting at the table doing their homework the rest of the kids have to sit there too. They can't go outside and play, they can't do any group games or plan any thing fun because the teacher has to be sitting with someone whose parents don't want to do their job.
You have the responsibility to do homework with your child or be totally satisfied with what they are willing to do at the after school program. They should not be sitting with your child doing homework when all the other kids are wanting to go do something else.
If you want a nanny then that's a different story. Me? I prefer sitting down with the kids when they get home and dinner is cooking and doing homework then. That's "my" time to see what they've been doing and working on. It's my job to do this, not some stranger in a program.
The level of service you want sounds more like a nanny than a "babysitter." The expectation of help with homework plus supervising play dates is more than I think should be expected of another parent or even a college age kid, unless you get very lucky and find a college kid who can really commit to five days a week of pickup, tutoring and supervising children. (Nothing against them -- our best sitter ever was a college student-- but their schedules do change during the year, they often cannot do anything five days a week at a set time, etc.)
I would look on nanny web sites but be aware that most nannies expect full-day work. You might find one who wants to shift to part-time and that would work for both you and her. You will need to check her driving license status, her driving record (does she have tickets? Especially for moving violations?), her criminal record if any, and a ton of references. Do you provide the car? Pay for gas in her car instead? Etc. Be sure to have a written contract that lets you fire her at any time "at will" with notice, and a trial period at the start so you can both see how it works out.
The problem may be with homework help -- you may find many nannies do not have experience doing this, and are not going to be comfortable being held responsible for helping with homework. If he does not get things turned in, or his grades slip, will the nanny or babysitter be held responsible by you? How would that work? Any candidate would want to know.
They might be willing to ensure your son sits down at a certain time with his homework but you might find they are not really able or willing to get very involved in helping him with details. Bear that in mind.
Being involved in his homework keeps you in touch with what he's doing at school. Anything you can do to ensure you are the homework helper would be good for you both; you will be much more "plugged in" to what is going on during his day if you can be the homework helper. Maybe a nanny can ensure it gets done but you can go over it with him when you get home.
