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Porta-Care: Taking A Babysitter On The Road
My sister and her husband love to travel -- with St. Martin and Disney World being their favorite spots. And now, with two children in tow, they seek to maximize their holiday enjoyment by retreating from their dual income, daycare driving, hectic life. Their solution is to bring along a traveling babysitter.
The advantages of taking a caregiver with you is that you and your husband will have more freedom and more flexibility. Additionally, having an extra hand on deck can come in handy in emergencies. When my sister's motion sickness landed her in the hospital, the sitter was there to take care of the kids. What a relief! Conversely, the disadvantages to consider include less privacy and the additional cost.
I asked my sister how she always managed to make this work, and here's what she shared:
Planning for the Trip
- Research the destination and know what activities you are going to do before you depart. One need not be 'married' to a schedule, but you should be engaged - at the least.
- Pick a resort that's sitter friendly. The more activities and services available the better.
Choosing a Professional Sitter
- Parents should sit down and draw up a list of criteria for the person they will hire. Factors to consider include age, level of experience and training, availability of sitter at the time of your trip, valid passport if necessary, stipend to be paid, and amount of time "off" from duties.
- The children should definitely know and have spent time with the person who travels with the family. While the mom/dad must be at ease with the sitter, the children must feel comfortable as well.
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