About the Trips + Giggles Babysitter Directory...
A few years ago, my husband and I were headed to San Diego for a close friend's wedding. As is the norm for most weddings, the big day was actually a weekend affair with a rehearsal dinner on Friday night, followed by a ceremony on Saturday afternoon and a reception that carried well into Saturday evening. Not to mention brunch on Sunday morning.
We were incredibly excited to celebrate with our friends but there was just one hitch–we didn't have anyone to watch our 15-month old during the rehearsal dinner or the wedding.
Our families lived too far away and I didn't feel comfortable having one of our babysitters spend the night in our house. I also wasn’t flush enough to afford bringing our babysitter down to San Diego for the weekend. The bride made a few calls to friends for babysitters in the area, but came up empty.
So I called the resort where we were staying and asked if they had any babysitters on staff. They didn't. But they did recommend a babysitting agency that specifically catered to the hotels and resorts of the San Diego area. How helpful!
Even though I'd been a hotel reporter for several years at this point, I was still a new mom and I thought the agency was just something offered in San Diego. But no, this is how it works at hotels and resorts around the world.
We ended up using a sitter through the agency who arrived early for both Friday and Saturday, and with a bag of toys, too. She took our daughter on walks around the hotel grounds, played with her in the room, ordered dinner through room service, gave her a bath and put her to bed both nights. She also texted updates throughout the night.
I understand using a sitter service while on vacation, or even for attending a friend’s wedding, isn’t for everyone. And I completely respect that. Hiring a temporary sitter like this can be nerve-wracking, for both parent and child.
That said, my decision to use a sitter in this instance was helped along by a lengthy chat and follow-up call with the agency’s director (who I later profiled in “What to Ask The Hotel Babysitter”) about how the screening process works, and what the sitters do when they are at an appointment.
I also learned about our sitter before we arrived in San Diego and read up on her first-aid and child care qualifications as well as references given by other families. When she arrived on Friday at our hotel room, we talked a bit more (we had a phone call prior) and I felt comfortable, if a little sad, leaving my daughter in her care. It also helped that I was only going about 100 yards away from the hotel.
Once we had our first babysitter-at-a-hotel experience under our belts, I noticed more and more of my mom friends in similar situations, typically on Facebook with them posting, “Anyone know of a sitter in XYZ that we could use?” And my answer was always, “Call the nearest luxury hotel and see if there’s a sitting service they recommend.”
That’s when I decided to put together this directory for parents who need a babysitter during their vacation. My goal is simple here—to let parents know that there are qualified childcare options when you’re on vacation. You don’t always have to use a sitter but if you need one, here’s who to call. (And what they charge and what their sitters are like.)
As always when hiring a sitter, after you’ve gone through the initial questions, trust your gut. If it doesn’t feel right, it doesn’t feel right and you shouldn’t force it. I can’t stress that enough.
And just so you know how seriously I take this, I was not paid by any agencies to be listed in the directory, nor will I ever accept ads, promotions, or any form of payment from a babysitting agency.
Any questions about hiring a sitter or what to ask of an agency? Send them to Trips + Giggles!
