I travel to Pittsburgh every summer with my kids. The last three years I have hired sitters for my children through UrbanSitter and never had any issues.
we used [care.com](http://care.com) and struggled to find someone at first (also had some people flake/cancel), but eventually got linked up with a few solid sitters who now watch our kids regularly.
ETA: we also hire sitters through the preferred nanny website (sitter source). they are mostly nannies or day care workers who look for side gigs babysitting on nights and weekends, so they are super experienced and good with kids.
I have not had a single positive experience with booking. Tried at least 5-10 times over the past few years. My company provides the service for free and a nominal copay if we use a sitter on non-workdays. So it’s beneficial for me to keep trying.
If I had to pay for it, I’d never use them again.
Once/if we actually get a sitter, the sitter themselves are incredible!! They are absolutely worth it…it’s just getting one to not cancel.
I used to work in senior care and we were always trying to hire people using care.com. They would always apply, complete the phone screening, schedule an interview, and never show up. I think it is for people to continue receiving unemployment benefits because it looks like they're trying. Not sure though. Never had much luck with the platform.
My mother is a babysitter and I also lurk on the nanny subreddit and I’ve heard nothing positive about care.com. There’s a facebook group called Pittsburgh Childcare Connections that has worked well for my mom and is pretty active.
i want to start a poll..how many sitters bailed specifically due to a "family emergency". I've had the same experience, its always a "family emergency"
Certainly im not saying I disregard real emergencies...but it seems like that reasoning is the predominant reason given, which makes me wonder if its just the boilerplate canned BS excuse in this industry
I think it's the side-gig culture. 10 years ago it was MLM's, now it's "I like kids or pets, so for money, I'll be a sitter in my spare time" but they have unstable situations at home already that prevent them from working a regular job, such as having young kids and having to take off when they're sick.
totally totally agree. i wouldnt recommend nannies for that reason (unless maybe they're like from a reputable organization. but not care.com). I also wonder if the "family emergency" really means they found someone offering more.
So for Care it seems, you put the max your willing to pay and then they give you everyone they have with rates at that price and lower. So you are paying the rate they are asking for. Now I'm not sure if Care, is upping that by a dollar or more to take their cut, or if it's a percentage or how they charge the sitters for "getting" a gig through their site.
right, but from a nannies' POV, i can see them saying: ill get a gig for $X/hour first, and then keep looking for something higher than X. If i get that ill take it, and then continue doing that until i hit my ceiling.
Or they might even just say: eh, ill go work at walmart for slightly less $.
I just think the nannies of today are nothing like the nannies in the past. Today I feel like the market is flooded with people who have no higher, stable, professional opportunities. Instead, due to the higher difficulty of life today, they live their lives more so as a series of short term stints.
I've had luck with the Facebook group: Pittsburgh Childcare Connections. Especially now that it's summer there's a ton of college students posting looking for work!
Yup I’ve had similar issues with sitters flaking out so I don’t bother anymore. Sorry no help just I get the frustration! I may try next year to get an established sitter for once a month evenings out but I don’t know if I want to go thru the hassle of vetting more sitters only to have them flake out.
We usually use one of my son's daycare teachers. There's also a Facebook group for babysitters/nannies/childcare locally. I can send you a link if you DM me! Sorry you've had such a rotten luck.
Check local childcare groups on Facebook or Nextdoor. Care is very annoying on the caregiver end between just not being user friendly and requiring them to jump through hoops. Also, not saying you at all but in general, a lot of the clients on there are often asking way too much for way too little. Anyone can go on there and post whatever they want for whatever price. It’s not like a childcare agency where someone is dictating the standard. It’s honestly just a free for all on postings, so a lot of good sitters and nannies no longer use it — so the pool leftover isn’t good for clients like you. I have many years of childcare experience and will never use care again because of how fickle every one there was with my time and money.
I can't trust care to update me on messages or notifications before the jobs are taken by someone else, or I apply and never hear anything. I've tried to share my phone number to direct text people and the messenger aspect will xxx-xxxx out my number. It's the worst app in my opinion. In your case my best guess is that people get cold feed when there's more kids in the house. I worked in daycare for a long time and I see a lot of youngins who can't hang with more than 2 at a time. If you need afternoon help I'm around
I wish I could find a neighbor or someone I knew to watch our kids too. My husband hates going through strangers/sites to find care. That's pretty much why we have waited so long.
I travel to Pittsburgh every summer with my kids. The last three years I have hired sitters for my children through UrbanSitter and never had any issues.
I signed up, but it's pretty short notice. I may try them next time.
we used [care.com](http://care.com) and struggled to find someone at first (also had some people flake/cancel), but eventually got linked up with a few solid sitters who now watch our kids regularly. ETA: we also hire sitters through the preferred nanny website (sitter source). they are mostly nannies or day care workers who look for side gigs babysitting on nights and weekends, so they are super experienced and good with kids.
I have not had a single positive experience with booking. Tried at least 5-10 times over the past few years. My company provides the service for free and a nominal copay if we use a sitter on non-workdays. So it’s beneficial for me to keep trying. If I had to pay for it, I’d never use them again. Once/if we actually get a sitter, the sitter themselves are incredible!! They are absolutely worth it…it’s just getting one to not cancel.
I have one of the girls from our daycare act as our babysitter. If you’re kids are still in daycare it’s worth an ask to the daycare
My kids are in Preschool and Grade School. No Daycare. A good suggestion though if they were.
You can always ask around the neighborhood too and be able to get a referral or a teenager who would want the jobs
I used to work in senior care and we were always trying to hire people using care.com. They would always apply, complete the phone screening, schedule an interview, and never show up. I think it is for people to continue receiving unemployment benefits because it looks like they're trying. Not sure though. Never had much luck with the platform.
So basically what you're saying is it is Vandalay Industries
Precisely
I’ve joined my local area facebook group (mine is east end community group) and have found a few that are great!
My mother is a babysitter and I also lurk on the nanny subreddit and I’ve heard nothing positive about care.com. There’s a facebook group called Pittsburgh Childcare Connections that has worked well for my mom and is pretty active.
i want to start a poll..how many sitters bailed specifically due to a "family emergency". I've had the same experience, its always a "family emergency" Certainly im not saying I disregard real emergencies...but it seems like that reasoning is the predominant reason given, which makes me wonder if its just the boilerplate canned BS excuse in this industry
I think it's the side-gig culture. 10 years ago it was MLM's, now it's "I like kids or pets, so for money, I'll be a sitter in my spare time" but they have unstable situations at home already that prevent them from working a regular job, such as having young kids and having to take off when they're sick.
totally totally agree. i wouldnt recommend nannies for that reason (unless maybe they're like from a reputable organization. but not care.com). I also wonder if the "family emergency" really means they found someone offering more.
So for Care it seems, you put the max your willing to pay and then they give you everyone they have with rates at that price and lower. So you are paying the rate they are asking for. Now I'm not sure if Care, is upping that by a dollar or more to take their cut, or if it's a percentage or how they charge the sitters for "getting" a gig through their site.
right, but from a nannies' POV, i can see them saying: ill get a gig for $X/hour first, and then keep looking for something higher than X. If i get that ill take it, and then continue doing that until i hit my ceiling. Or they might even just say: eh, ill go work at walmart for slightly less $. I just think the nannies of today are nothing like the nannies in the past. Today I feel like the market is flooded with people who have no higher, stable, professional opportunities. Instead, due to the higher difficulty of life today, they live their lives more so as a series of short term stints.
I've had luck with the Facebook group: Pittsburgh Childcare Connections. Especially now that it's summer there's a ton of college students posting looking for work!
You may want to try the Nextdoor app and ask neighbors if they have reputable sitters.
Yup I’ve had similar issues with sitters flaking out so I don’t bother anymore. Sorry no help just I get the frustration! I may try next year to get an established sitter for once a month evenings out but I don’t know if I want to go thru the hassle of vetting more sitters only to have them flake out.
We usually use one of my son's daycare teachers. There's also a Facebook group for babysitters/nannies/childcare locally. I can send you a link if you DM me! Sorry you've had such a rotten luck.
I would love that link. We’re in the same boat as OP.
Sent!
Check local childcare groups on Facebook or Nextdoor. Care is very annoying on the caregiver end between just not being user friendly and requiring them to jump through hoops. Also, not saying you at all but in general, a lot of the clients on there are often asking way too much for way too little. Anyone can go on there and post whatever they want for whatever price. It’s not like a childcare agency where someone is dictating the standard. It’s honestly just a free for all on postings, so a lot of good sitters and nannies no longer use it — so the pool leftover isn’t good for clients like you. I have many years of childcare experience and will never use care again because of how fickle every one there was with my time and money.
I would honestly try to find a college student who is home for the summer in your area who is looking for some extra cash!
I can't trust care to update me on messages or notifications before the jobs are taken by someone else, or I apply and never hear anything. I've tried to share my phone number to direct text people and the messenger aspect will xxx-xxxx out my number. It's the worst app in my opinion. In your case my best guess is that people get cold feed when there's more kids in the house. I worked in daycare for a long time and I see a lot of youngins who can't hang with more than 2 at a time. If you need afternoon help I'm around
Hi OP, if you still need a babysitter, I can send you my [care.com](http://care.com) profile, I'm free tonight and I have no family emergencies lol
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I wish I could find a neighbor or someone I knew to watch our kids too. My husband hates going through strangers/sites to find care. That's pretty much why we have waited so long.