SitterCity

[scrub-jay]

To your comment about being a jerk - MrsK, you are protecting the safety of the littleKs... it is okay to follow your gut and not hire her. I'm of the mind that the only ones you need to worry about are your kids, not giving anyone a chance.

I hope your next interview yields better results.

[Ladybug122]

I agree with the "don't hire her" camp. I truly believe in mother's intuition. If your gut instinct is to say "no" then don't do it. I interviewed one sitter a couple of years ago. A post-college grad looking for some evening sitting. She seemed nice but when I asked for her references she said she couldn't give anyone because she "hadn't babysat in a long time." I even pressed her and said it's okay that it's been a long time, etc. but she said no. My mommy antenna went up and I put her in the "no" category. Who knows, she might have been fine, but I just wasn't comfortable.

[MrsK]

I'm going to keep looking. So far, I've had this girl, 2 cancellations, and 7 other applicants wh are not free for the hours I need. *sigh*

[samssugarmomma]

We just opened an account with sittercity last month. I got 22 applicants and phone interviewed 3. The one we picked is sitting tomorrow so DH and I can go out on a date. When I asked her if she could come over to meet the kids she asked if she could bring her roommate who also babysits. At first I was leary and thought that was odd. Then I thought about it and it seemed like a good idea. If I was 22 and alone in a city far from home, I'd want to bring a friend over to a stranger's house too! I asked her roommate to join sittercity so I could run a background check on her as well.

After being here for 5 years we're finally starting to get a babysitting pool. Ha ha.


Good luck Mrs K. You might consider putting the hours that you need someone in the title of your ad - that might eliminate the applicants that can't work the hours you need. My post was titled 'Need a sitter on 9/17 from 11 - 4 - and in the text I said that I was hoping to start a pool of sitters for occasional use. Would that work for you?

[MrsK]

oThat would probably work. The body of my ad says I need an occassional sitter who will be available weekdays.

Michele, sorry for the hijack. How's your sitter search going?

[L.Jane]

MrsK, I am usually on the other side of the table, being the nanny, and I say absolutly NO to that girl. Your kids are important and you she couldn't even keep her story straight. Who knows what the reality is. Hopefully a new sitter (or sitters) will come on the site soon who is perfect for you.

[MarissaNicole]

Along with what everone else said, she will bring her issues to your home. You have too much on your plate to deal with that. I can just see you ending up having to look out for her and feeling like you have someone else to take care of. Not to mention I seriously question her reliability when she has that much instability in her life. Run, and don't feel bad about it.

[MrsK]

So, I had a sitter (not the drama girl) come yesterday to watch the kids while I did some chores. Really, I was auditioning her and giving the boys a chance to warm up to her. She got BabyK all wound up and left me with both kids in soiled diapers. I don't know if she was just skipping diapers because I was in the house or if she'd otherwise leave my infant with poop on his clothes.

I'm also getting applicants who want to bring their own toddlers with them when they babysit. I'd think that keeping track of my 2 under 2 would be enough. I really don't feel comfortable adding another baby to the mix, especially since BabyK is a biter.

[diggitydot]

I'm glad you decided against the drama sitter. Whether she's a shit magnet or manufacturer, it doesn't matter. That type of personality will always be surrounded by BS drama until they grow up drastically.

Also, she's lying about a ton of shit. That alone would eliminate her from my list of potentials. Her weirdly added "details" after you mention something are all suspect.

That girl is a disaster waiting to happen.

[Michele]

My search is still in the beginning stages. I joined for3 months and need to weed through the applicants.

Would you contact people who haven't applied for the job but have good looking profiles?

[Michele]

Oh and MrsK I wouldn't have hired her either.

[ladymoreta]

I just met with a lady yesterday that we found on care.com. She seems like she'll be good. She is just starting on the site, and she has a lot of availability. We liked her because she's older - she mentioned she has grandkids, and she had her granddaughter with her when we met her. Crossing my fingers that she'll work out!

[L.Jane]

My search is still in the beginning stages. I joined for3 months and need to weed through the applicants.

Would you contact people who haven't applied for the job but have good looking profiles?

I would if their profile matches your needs. It was easy to miss a family and I liked when they showed interest in me first. But I couldnt stand when they would ask me for hours I had already stated on my profile I didn't do.

[MrsK]

I'm stupid. I interviewed another sitter who seems like a good match. She's a college junior who worked in a daycare for special needs children. She seems like a very smart and compassionate young woman. So, I was going to have her come by for a couple hours to get to know my kids while I did some chores around the house. I called to set it up and was expecting her yesterday afternoon. Then I get a weird e-mail from the Drama Girl saying that she's got pnumonia and cannot make it. Drama Girl and College Girl have the same first name and last initial. I had messages from both of them in my phone and set up the wrong sitter. I think I would have just wet myself if I opened the door and found Drama Girl on my front step instead of College Girl. Of course, Drama Girl standing me up just reinforces my prior opinion of her. Still, mommy fail.

[MarissaNicole]

Oh you have to laugh at that Mrs. K, totally something I would do. Thank goodness it was just a trial and not real plans! Hope she works out!