When my family and I moved to Albuquerque nine years ago, we didn’t know a soul. All of the sudden, we were over a thousand miles from everyone we knew and loved. Including the greatest babysitters ever . . . Grammy and Pop. Coming up with babysitting solutions during those first few months in a new town was not an easy task.
Regardless of how difficult it can be to find a good sitter you trust, there are certainly going to be times when mom and/or dad just need to get away. So here are three babysitting solutions for when family lives far away or perhaps isn’t available to watch your kiddos.
1. The Unicorn Teenage Babysitter
She’s bright and bubbly and loves playing legos and doll house. Bless her! If she does your dishes, pay her extra because she really is a unicorn. I was fortunate enough to find a few of these who were the daughters of some mom friends.
However, the down side is that these lovely teenagers get really busy with extracurricular activities and then they leave for college. How could they do this to us?
2. Trade Off Babysitting with Another Parent
At one point, we had some friends who also had two preschool-aged boys. I taught online English classes from home, and the father in that family was going back to school for a second degree. We were both in the same boat in that we were staying home with our kids, but also needed some time to work. Our schedules lined up perfectly. So we switched off babysitting a few days a week, and our four boys had a blast together.
This arrangement worked well for a while, but then both our schedules changed. And that family eventually moved away. Back to the babysitting drawing board.
3. ABQ Sitters :: Albuquerque’s Locally Owned and Operated Babysitting and Nanny Service
A babysitting and nanny service like ABQ Sitters is just the ticket for when family lives far away. They take the hassle of finding a sitter off your plate. ABQ Sitters is a New Mexico State Registered Babysitting Referral Agency. They perform background checks on each sitter, verify references, and require that each one is CPR/First Aid certified. One of the things I like most about ABQ Sitters is that they encourage you to interview and meet more than one sitter. You can compare sitters and choose the one your child reacts to best.
Recently, I had a babysitter from ABQ Sitters watch my kids. I put in the request online that I needed a sitter on a certain date at a certain time. Then I was matched with a babysitter, who promptly called me to confirm. I met with her a few days beforehand to get to know her better and introduce her to the kids. The evening she babysat went off without a hitch. She was on time, had fun with the kids (or so the kids report), and picked up a little before I got home. Winning!
How I wish I would have known about ABQ Sitters when I was brand new to town and had no babysitting options. It’s also just great to know they are there if I do get in a bind and have to be somewhere and have no one to watch the kids. I have ABQ Sitters’ website bookmarked!
For more detailed information on ABQ Sitters, check out their website. You can also email [email protected] or call 505-933-7002.
