Email Benefits for Both Parents and Babysitters
Have you ever thought about the benefits of having your baby-sitter’s email address if you’re a parent, or your client’s email address if you are a babysitter? Well there are benefits to both parties.
If you are a parent, the more methods of communication you have available to your for your sitter, the better. Even if you have the baby sitter’s home phone number and her cell phone number, her email address may still be helpful.
I can remember several times that I kept meaning to call the babysitter to schedule her for a particular event, but I would have so much going on everyday that I would keep forgetting. It usually happened that I would finally remember when it was too late at night to call. I was never comfortable leaving messages on answering machines, because so often they were picked up by other family members and deleted and the sitter never knew I called. Many times I was unable to go to an event because I was waiting for a sitter to call me back when she never even received the message that I called.
Email is great if your sitter uses it and checks it frequently. You can still call but also send a confirmation email with start time for the night and other details. Then, if you remember at 11:00 at night that you were supposed to call the babysitter, you can just send her an email that won’t disturb her or her family.
If you are a babysitter, it would also be a good idea for you to have your client’s email address. One great reason for this, is because if you needed to discuss something or ask something without the kids hearing you this is the perfect solution. For example, if you wanted to take the kids out for an ice cream and you asked the parents when you arrived at their home in the presence of the children, there may be some major meltdowns or tantrums if the parents say no. I’m sure the parents wouldn’t be thrilled to deal with this sort of situation right before they head out for the night.
Always confirm dates and times with your client or sitter as the date approaches, especially if you’ve booked it more than a week in advance. A telephone call is quick and easy. But if you don’t connect with the person you are calling, leave a message and then follow up with a text or email to be sure they got the message. Using two forms of communication and confirming plans is a smart idea.
Lisa McLellan, Child Care Expert
Tags: email babysitter
November 18th, 2009 at 11:26 pm
Hi Baby Sitting Lady,
What a sage baby sitting tip for parents to be sure to get their sitter’s email address. I loved it and could totally relate when you mentioned the issue remembering to contact the sitter you wanted to pin down, only it was late at night. What parent cannot relate to that happening, indeed?
The best babysitting tips from The Babysitting lady!
Happy Dating and Relationships,
April Braswell
Single Boomer Dating Expert
November 19th, 2009 at 10:36 am
Lisa,
What a great idea. We always need to have that extra connection. Great advice to share and use.
Lynn Lane
Success Strategies For Life
November 19th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
Great tip. Your example about wanting to call at 11 p.m. really struck home. Email would be a very nice and unobtrusive way to communicate what you need to at 11 p.m.
November 20th, 2009 at 7:42 am
In this world of speed, SMS is even better when the message is real short, important & highly time senstive!
John Ho
Numerology Expert Helps Understanding Personality for Better Influence & Persuasion
November 20th, 2009 at 8:24 pm
Not only is email great for getting those late night messages, but for also for putting together a list for the sitters in a way that won’t get misplaced or have coffee spilled on it etc. I use email to set my schedule with my clients and do most of my scheduling after 10:00 at night. That way it doesn’t interfere with the evening routine of fixing dinner and getting kids to bed for me or my clients.
Don Shepherd
Central Oregon Expert
November 22nd, 2009 at 7:07 am
Great advice. It’s common sense to swap email addresses with your babysitter, for flexible communication – but maybe not so common – I’m off to do it now!!
Martin Wright
Impact, Poise, Presenting
November 24th, 2009 at 11:12 am
This is a really good tip. We’ve always relied on phone calls for our babysitters, and they can be unreliable (as far as actually getting in touch with the sitter). An additional means of communication would definitely be helpful.
Health, Fitness for Working People — Darryl Pace
November 25th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
Great advice Lisa!
Hope you’re well!
JJ
November 25th, 2009 at 6:16 pm
Hi. I wanted to say thanks for keeping up the great work and also wish you a Happy Thanksgiving! Keep in touch…
Greg Dougall, Philanthropist-in-Training
November 26th, 2009 at 6:31 am
As always, you have thought this babysitting stuff through really well. Evidently the hours you’ve dedicated to considering how to make sure it works as well as possible have made you the expert you are!
Philip
Consumer Behaviour Expert
[The Consumer Behaviour Research Resource]
November 28th, 2009 at 5:19 pm
I have found that the best way to communicate with a teenager is by text message. All the benefits of e-mail with the added benefit that they most likely have it on all the time.
Still, you should have the e-mail address as well.
Steve Chambers