By Lindsay Bell is the co-founder of Lucky Lil’ Darlings
I have been babysitting for most of my life. As the oldest of five girls it comes natural for me to bee-line it towards the nearest child. When I first moved to NYC six years ago I began doing what I knew best; I babysat in the evenings and on weekends. I have always loved being near families, especially while being so far from my own.
In my experience, the on-demand babysitting requests I did resulted in mutual trust building amongst families, their children and myself. As these connections grew, I was eventually asked to be part of their family for a weekend or week at a time on vacation. I believe having this connection and mutual trust prior to the vacation was a great benefit to both the family and me. However, not every family is lucky enough to have a great sitter they already know and trust (and want to spend a week with!).
In my years of experience I have seen a wide variety of family situations and dynamics while on vacation – I’ve traveled with families I’ve known for over five years and others I’ve known for only a short time. Through childcare work I have found there are three key qualities every sitter should embody when going on vacation with a family: know her role, work hard and be thankful. If your sitter hits these out of the ballpark you are on your way towards a blissful trip. Vacations are supposed to rejuvenate and relax you – so don’t settle for anything less!
Still on the fence about bringing a sitter on your next trip? Here are five great benefits for you to consider:
- Extra pair of hands! She can help you pack/un-pack, run errands, hold the baby while you take a quick swim in the ocean, and basically be your go-to when you need that much needed break!
- Some peace & quiet. Your sitter can take the kids to the pool for the day while you and your partner go for a run and check out that trendy lunch spot you’ve been dying to try. You can have adult-only options and then when you ready to reconnect with your kids you will be refreshed and happy knowing they were well taken care for, safe and enjoyed their day.
- Big Sister. Your sitter is there to be a role model for your child during the trip. She is there to help the kids swim, bring imaginative fun and games to the interactive play including building sand castles, playing sports, having lovely tea parties, etc. She walks ocean side with your child teaching them about the fish in the sea and the stars in the sky. She is there to initiate play, guide them and keep them safe and protected whilst in her care.
- Energy. Go with a sitter that is a professional with a boat-load of energy. When you and your partner fizzle out by the end of the day, she’ll be ready for round-two. You can go out for the evening and she will take care of the kids. She is also there as a second set of hands for fun day trips like the zoo, out on a boat, etc. It makes holiday play that much more fun to have a high energy playmate at the ready for any task.
- Even More fun. Your child literally waits at the door for your sitter to arrive. This is a good sign. Yes, you feel like chopped liver, but how wonderful that you found someone your child looks forward to. She comes up with unique activities while in the car, she bring engaging games for the plane ride and busts out sock puppets for the kids to play with while you wait to board. She is your personal ‘box of fun’ and puts on a show for your kids.
Lindsay Bell is the co-founder of Lucky Lil’ Darlings (LLD), an elite family care solutions company providing corporate and family focused babysitting, parent-centric events and inspiring commentary on child care, kids and family focused products. Prior to launching LLD, Lindsay worked in communications for the Radio City Rockettes and as a Marketing Manager for boutique marketing and PR agencies in NYC. For more information on Lindsay and LLD visit www.luckylildarlings.com or follow Lindsay on Twitter @LindsayBellNYC
