Finding a Babysitter Through the Internet

There are many ways to determine if a babysitting website is good or bad. That's why it's important to make a list of guidelines that meet your own personal criteria. When I set out to find the best babysitting websites, I discovered that there is more than one way to find a babysitter on the internet.

Websites are available that allow me to get a feel for someone. Once I do that, I can proceed with the interview process to determine which babysitter I will choose to care for my children.

With so many different babysitting websites to choose from, it is difficult to know which sites are most beneficial. I used the following criteria to help me sort through the sites that showed up on Google.

*Endorsements: The sites I liked best had positive endorsements from sources I trust.

*Information: Sites that had an "About Us" page telling their history and goals were appreciated. They also had articles, resources, and testimonials to help me make an informed decision.

*Easy Navigation: I liked sites that allowed me to explore and find out what they offered, without making me feel like I needed to sign up before I knew anything about them.

*Service Explanations: It is important to know exactly what I will be paying for should I choose to do business with a certain web company.

The technology of today allows people to take care of their needs, while offering added benefits like social networking, background checks, extensive services, and plenty of people available to help them. With the use of the internet, families can find just about anyone to provide a multitude of services including dog walkers, personal chefs, child & elderly care, and even tutoring by surfing babysitting websites.

While several sites could help me find a babysitter, 3 babysitting websites seemed better than the rest based on the criteria listed above. They are: sittercity.com, gonannies.com, and jobvana.com.

www.sittercity.com

Sittercity.com is endorsed by: Better Business Bureau, Inc. 500, International Nanny Association, Sr. Approved, and Certified Women's Business Enterprise. They have been featured on television by many of the major networks, and Martha, The BIG Idea, CNN, and The Wall Street Journal.

Sittercity.com was launched in 2001, when the founder hand delivered 20,000 fliers in the Boston area. Six hundred babysitters signed up, and the company began earning several awards of excellence.

Sittercity.com is easy to explore, offers many services with clear explanations, and a host of testimonials.

www.gonannies.com

Gonannies.com is endorsed by: Better Business Bureau Online, International Nanny Association, and their local Chamber of Commerce. They have several press releases showing how they have grown through the years.

The site is user friendly, allowing for exploration of benefits and services. The services are extensive, and clear explanations are given for each. It is easy to create packages of services for specific needs and budgets. They also offer free background checks and live customer support.

www.jobvana.com

Jobvana.com is a social networking site. It is free to sign up, and easy to use. Jobvana.com is a marketplace of services where individuals sign up to share their specialties with others. They are very detailed regarding their mission, the services they offer, who uses the site, how to use the site, and who runs the site.

Jobvana.com is endorsed by successful users of the site, and there are plenty of them. Babysitters, electricians, graphic designers, and even the Mayor of Edmonds, Washington have endorsed jobvana.com.

Jobvana.com is easy to explore. It offers an opportunity to get to know your babysitter before hiring her. Because it is a social networking site, references and background checks should be done independently.

Other Babysitting Sites

The rest of the babysitting sites I visited offered a range of services. Care.com is a community network that completes free background checks on their people. Phoneababysitter.com invites participants to purchase an inexpensive lifetime membership, with a few hours of free babysitting as an incentive. Babysitter.com has a list of sites you can visit to hire a babysitter.

Using the internet to find good babysitter websites is helpful. However, it does not replace personal interviews or reference checks. Trust your instincts when choosing a babysitter, and use common sense. It is easy to present your best self on the internet. Parents must remember this when deciding to leave their children with a babysitter. It is vitally important that if they choose to use babysitting websites as a tool, they follow through, performing personal interviews and reference checks.

All babysitting websites have their pros and cons. Several of them can help you begin the process of finding a good babysitter for your child. I think my top 3 babysitting websites are more organized and professional than the others. I believe they will help me achieve my goals quickly and easily.