The last year and a half has been a very tough time to be a parent. New and sometimes conflicting information about the risk for both adults and children of contracting COVID-19 have made it hard to know what is the right thing to do in various circumstances. Balancing at-home learning with one’s own work and fear for the safety of one’s family has proven impossible at times. As a parent, you are doing the best you can, and it can be overwhelming when that doesn’t seem to be enough. For the 2021-2022 school-year, the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics are strongly encouraging school d ..read more

As summer winds down and an uncertain fall lies ahead, families are making childcare plans for the new school year. In taking on the task of finding sitters, however, many parents are finding that it is harder than previous years. They just aren’t getting as many bites on their listings.  The pandemic and geographic upheaval of the last year+ have significantly altered the job market for nannies and babysitters in urban areas. 4.2 million people left the workforce last year and most of the job losses have occurred in the service sector. The New York metropolitan area lost over 100,000 re ..read more

The pandemic shone a spotlight on the domestic workforce in a way not seen in decades. When the country shut down in 2020 and families were made to stay home, it made the nanny profession a precarious one. As essential workers, many nannies continued to show up in person for their employers every day, providing invaluable help and stability at a time when both were in short supply. At the same time, countless caregivers lost their jobs overnight and turned to filing for unemployment in order to make it through.  Now, as government agencies are working through the bureaucracy of 2020 and ..read more

By J H. SmartSitting Diversity and Inclusion Council Gender and Sexuality Advocate There’s no “correct” timeline on when to come out to your SmartSitting family. You can decide it’s better to do so Day 1, or you can decide that you don’t feel it’s relevant at any point. If there are tangible consequences to coming out, such as someone utilizing your correct pronouns, you may decide it’s worth your time and energy to alert your family and share the SmartSitting resources to help educate them on your gender or sexuality. If you decide to share this information, here are some helpful tips. Ultim ..read more

The lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer tend to be less lazy and more excited and busy when there are kids in the mix, and this year is no exception! Our SmartSitters have been hard at work, helping families fill their days with fun adventures and ensure that parents can still get their work done. Many of our sitters are working with families through our partnership with Bright Horizons, helping families whose regular childcare needs are unavailable. We continue to recognize and reward those backup care babysitters through our SmartStars program.  This month, several of our previously profil ..read more

Should you offer your nanny benefits?  Your nanny is an integral part of your family and one of your best chances at a smooth and happy daily life. This is why you were so careful in the hiring process. You checked resumes and references, observed their rapport with your children, and now feel great about your choice of extending an offer to this particular candidate.  A candidate who considers your offer has likely been just as careful, making sure the expectations of the job and the relationship with both parents and kids feels rooted in mutual respect and appreciation. Beyond this ..read more

By Lindsey D. SmartSitting Diversity and Inclusion Council Education and Resources Advocate Photo: www.nea.org/ Lindsey D., SDIC Education and Resources Advocate shares book recommendations for summer reading to help you and your children gain perspective on more diverse experiences, both historically and in society today. Early Childhood: A Little Book About Activism, by Courtney Ahn, is the newest board book in the ‘a little book about’ series for children ages 0-4. It is never too early to teach your little one about care, empathy and community. Be sure to check out other books by this auth ..read more

By Suzie Zeldin, Smartsitting Director of Operations After a year of being in super cautious pandemic mode, my whole family contracted COVID about two weeks before the vaccine became available to our age group. To say that I was frustrated would be a pretty massive understatement. In order to keep myself feeling optimistic (and knowing that we’d be armed with temporary immunity for both kiddos and adults), we booked our very first vacation traveling with a nanny. In June of 2021, we set off to Mexico to have our first real vacation in just over 4 years – our first since having kids.  We ..read more

You got the job! Now what? You did everything right as a nanny in the interview process, impressing a family with your great resume, your thoughtful answers, and experienced insight. They loved you, hired you, and now you’re ready to start your new nanny job! How can you make sure your first week on the job is a success? What tricks are there to set you up for a great start and a stellar time with this family? Ask all your questions – but be mindful of how and when There will always be a lot of questions your first week at any job. And it’s important to get the answers you need! However, some ..read more

The year is flying by, and sitters in the SmartSitting network are continuing to shine, both in long-term positions, and in their temporary work with families in our backup care program. Through our partnership with Bright Horizons, we are able to connect stellar babysitters with flexible and exciting positions helping families whose regular childcare needs are unavailable. And we continue to recognize and reward those backup care babysitters who put in extraordinary time into this work. All this through our SmartStars program.  This month we’re proud to highlight previously profiled sitt ..read more