Bill Watterson’s Calvin and Hobbes
Do you know where the babysitters hide? We can’t seem to find a viable candidate anywhere. We have more luck finding dog-sitters than kid-sitters!
When we moved out to Wisconsin, our very small list of babysitter options dissolved. Our local friends are either single, while engaged with their professional and personal commitments; or they have families of their own that demand the majority of their time. We have no relations in this area. So where do we turn for a great sitter?
We complicate our situation by not being interested in having a complete stranger become our babysitter. This disinterest rules out using on-line services, as well as other common sources, like asking your pediatrician for a recommendation. Any person, no matter how praised, won’t be permitted to just slide in for the evening at our home.
We want a potential sitter to get to know our kids prior to spending solo time with them. We want everyone to get along and to feel comfortable. We want our sitter to have a general idea of what makes our kids tick. We don’t want a younger teen that is just getting their feet wet in the working world.
Where is the person that is willing to spend a few hours every weekend to get to know our kids, prior to setting up a time to sit alone? We’ll pay for their efforts! We’ll pay well! But we won’t leave our kids with someone they don’t know. We want to see this potential sitter in action before entrusting them to keep our family safe and happy.
As much as we love keeping the pack together, and doing almost everything as a family, we’re ready for some TR Mom and Dad time sans kids. Where have you had luck tracking down a sitter?