'They need jobs, and parents in the area need good babysitters … These kids have been handpicked, screened, cleared, drug tested, and are ready to work.'
For parents of small children, juggling the joys of parenthood and adult time can seem almost impossible without the right connections. Finding a trustworthy babysitter can feel like a serious time commitment for many parents.
Putting their heads together with the idea of creating a local “babysitters club,“ Rochester Summer Parks Program Director Lindsay Barts and Assistant Director Abigail Cronan have been scoping out local, qualified, trustworthy teens to bring back date nights for parents around Fulton County. Barts said she and Cronan were inspired by the teens working with them over the summer for the parks program, and so far have found three teens interested.
“They need jobs, and parents in the area need good babysitters. So far we have around three teens saying they want to babysit and they worked with us over the summer so we know that they're good with children. These kids have been handpicked, screened, cleared, drug tested, and are ready to work,“ Barts said. The group also plans on making sure each babysitter eventually gets certified in CPR with the local fire department.
Barts said she plans on adding several more babysitters to their group as they become more established in the community. The pay rate starts at $8.50 for babysitting. As the group grows Barts said they intend on expanding and adding house sitting, pet sitting, and dog walking to their services. Once established, pet sitting rates will be $40 a day and dog walking $10 per hour.
A “Rochester Sitter“ Facebook page was recently created for parents to find more information. For questions about the babysitters club, reach out to Barts via call or text at 574-514-1016.
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