Mom Maericke: looking for a recurring babysitter

"Our problems came up during corona, when time after the day care was closed due to illness. We where quite stressed at those moments, because our safety net for childcare is not that big. We decided to look for a regular babysitter for Mondays and Thursdays. We could manage the other days ourselves. We thought we had found a great babysitter, but after 2 months she told us she had other plans and wanted to stop immediately. She told us on a Saturday and on Monday we needed a babysitter again. We were desperate... We had tried Charly Cares back in the summer, so I immediately thought of trying to find someone with the Charly Cares app."

"Yes! We realized it was only 6 months before the twins started school. If we could not find a regular babysitter for 2 days a week, for 6 months, we had to solve our childcare challenge differently. So I started puzzling: what type of requests work best and which Angel is available on which days? There weren't any Angels available who could do both days, so I decided to split up the two days. And a also started planning only one month ahead. And that worked out! The kids now see two different babysitters a month, which is fine."

"We have found great matches with Angels who are in the completion phase of their studies, or looking for a job. They know they are available for certain days, for a number of weeks. I have noticed they want to bond with our children and want to be there fore a longer period of time. So they really build a bond of trust with our family. For example, when it's raining, I often think: We trust you as a babysitter, use our car and just go have fun with the kids."

"We think the way Charly Cares works is really trustworthy and it gives us peace of mind. For example, if an Angel is sick or has another last-minute appointment, Customer Care proactively helps us out. That is really an added value for us, because constancy and reliability is something that have caused us traumatic experiences in the past. And sometimes I have contact with the Angels via WhatsApp, because we exchange numbers. But I always book them with the app, because Charly Cares helps us when the Angel cancels the booking and we need a replacement. That reliability and support is really, really, really important to me."

"I look at the age and hourly rate first. Then I always look at the reviews as well, to find out if the babysitter is proactive and outgoing. I also read the description in the profile, to see if they come across enthusiastic. I'm pretty sensitive to that, haha. I like it when they're full of energy, a babysitter that is too quiet doesn't quite fit our family. The kids are also used to having high-energy people around them. We prefer a real go-getter: someone who wants to make a fun day of babysitting."

"We usually chat in advance via the app; I'm always curious about who they are and if I can accommodate dietary needs. I want them to feel welcome. I also tell them what the children like or what they do at the daycare center, to give them some directions. We often work from home, so I communicate that as well. I then tell them right away we try to come downstairs as little as possible, but of course we can help if needed."

"That was something we had to test and experience, but but the children turned out to be very easy and flexible about it. We always try to prepare them by showing them a picture and telling them something about the babysitter. You can also tell which Angel they really like and connect with. For example, when the Angel tell they got very cuddly. Then I know they liked each other and everything is okay. On the one hand because the children get cuddly but also because the babysitter allows it. That's just nice to hear."