Where Can You Find Emergency Babysitting?

Many parents are being placed in the difficult position of trying to find someone to watch their child so they can go to work. If you are in this position, there are resources for you. 

1. First, the best thing for you and your child would be for you to calm down and list out all of the people you know. The simplest solution may be right under your nose with an unemployed friend or family member who would enjoy spending the day with your child and whom you trust.
2. Care.com has the option of emergency day care. They do run background checks on the people on their site.
3. Crisis nurseries exist in many large cities. They primarily serve families who need temporary help due to unusual circumstances, such as domestic violence, unemployment, or homelessness. Your situation may very well qualify for assistance. 
4. Babysitting co-ops are a great source for free babysitting whatever the situation. Another parent will babysit your child in exchange for you watching hers or his when help is needed. Cities and localities of all sizes have co-ops, just Google or look them up on Facebook or other social media sites. Another source to find them: sittingaround.com
5. Ask around for who other parents are using. Maybe one of the parents you know has a babysitter or nanny who can take another child or two on for some extra money.
6. And finally, as a short-term solution: Just as people take turns carpooling, moms/both parents who are required to work on site cane take turns caring for each other’s children. For instance, if you and four other moms live on a cul-de-sac, one takes the kids one day a week, so that instead of everyone missing every day, you still have four days a week at your work.

It may seem overwhelming to find emergency babysitting when you are used to your child being at school all day. It will require some temporary changes, but there are options for you and your child to get through this time.

By Bethanie Ryan