In this economy, we’ve been seeing an increase in the number of child care providers showing up on Sittercity. From recent graduates who can’t find other work to former business executives who have been laid off, caregiving seems to be a popular path for those interested in making child care their new career.

Even though a new job is posted on Sittercity every 5 minutes, there’s still stuff competition to land the best positions with the best families. That might be why some savvy sitters are creating their own personal websites detailing their experience and skills in the field of child care.

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Because sitters use different products depending on which family they’re sitting for (and must always remember how to use each unique item), it’s important that those products are intuitive and simple to use so they’re most effective.

For summer, we put together a list of some sitter-friendly safety products that sitters and families we know recommend. They’re all effective and some are pretty fun for the kids as well!

Take a look at some of these fun summer safety products.

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There has been a lot of shifting around going on in the nanny industry lately. Leaving any job is never easy, but leaving a nanny job often feels like leaving a part of your own family behind. No easy task.

That’s why we turned to professional nanny and founding member of the INA, Glenda Propst. Glenda runs NannyTransitions.com as well as a workshop that helps nannies transition from one job to another, and she was kind enough to share with us her tips for how to prepare the children and yourself when it’s time to leave a nanny job.

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Temper tantrums — whether you’re a parent or a sitter, you’ve undoubtedly experienced the kicking, screaming, crying meltdowns that make us cringe.

They may be unavoidable, but they are manageable. Let’s take an in-depth look at tantrums and some common tips/tactics that can help.

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Father’s Day is this Sunday and we’d like to say a special HAPPY FATHER’S DAY to all of the great dads out there, especially those of you here on Sittercity.

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Looks like Kate Gosselin is in the news again. This time, it’s for getting caught on camera spanking her daughter, Leah.

Apparently, Leah kept blowing a whistle while Kate was on the phone. Kate lost her temper and smacked the 5-year-old right on the behind.

This is causing a big controversy on the blogs, but rather than getting lost in the debate, we want to use the firestorm to bring attention to the idea of discipline and how it relates to babysitters and nannies…

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We love the entire gang over at the TODAY show. Matt, Meredith, Al, Ann, Natalie — such fun to watch in the mornings! And let’s not forget Hoda, Kathie Lee, Amy Robach, Jenna Wolf and Lester Holt. They’ve got quite at team over there at NBC.

But the TODAY show just posed an interesting question. Out of that whole group, which one do you think would make the best babysitter?

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Last month, our Technology Manager (Brendan) welcomed his daughter Frances Lou, and this month, our Project Manager (Jay) welcomes his baby boy, Evan Tyler!

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• Family-friendly summer festivals across the country - Cookie Magazine
• Why the nanny tax is so important - The Washington Times
• Is the child care tab now $25,000/year? - The Washington Post
• Babyphone baby monitor app for iPhone users - Mail-Point
• FREE admission to National Parks this summer - Parenting
• Why Kate Winslet avoids nannies - Celebrity Baby Scoop

UPDATE: Kate Winset has DOES have a part-time nanny now.
Read the details here.

Thanks to Sittercity user lhia for pointing this out!

[image credit - National KidsFest, Branson, MO]

Here in Chicago, the weather still isn’t making us feel like summer has arrived. It’s been cool, windy (of course) and a little damp lately — but, regardless, summer IS here and that means July 4th is just around the corner.

PARENTS: If you’re thinking about booking a sitter for the holiday — to either watch a group of kids at your big neighborhood gathering or to just watch your kids while you celebrate with grown-ups that evening — there are a few quick things you should know.

SITTERS: If you’re looking for a July 4th job, we’ve got a few tips for you as well.

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For the final post in our summer safety for sitters series, we’ve got some summertime tips for taking the children on outings.

Warmer weather makes all of us want to get outside a little more, but before going on an outing, make sure you’ve got permission from the parents. (We know most of you already know that, but we still just have to say it!)

Once you’ve got permission, make sure you know where you’re going and print out maps with clear directions just to be safe.

Here are some additional tips once you actually get outdoors with the kids.

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Next up in our summer safety series for sitters, we’ve got some swimming pool tips to help keep everyone safe when they go for a dip.

Whether you’re taking the kids over to the local public pool or you’re sitting for a family with a pool of their own, don’t leave the house without making sure you’ve gone through the pool rules with the children. From always wearing sunblock to never running in a pool area, it’s just as important to prepare the children as it is to prepare yourself.

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Continuing our quick series on summer safety for sitters, we’ve got some info on how to handle first-, second- and third-degree burns.

To get info about these burn treatments, we thought who better to reach out to than a doctor-and-nurse team with kids of their own? Our friends over at Baby MEDBASICS fit the bill and they gave us this helpful info, right out of their must-have emergency guide for parents and sitters. (Get yours here.)

And now, on to the tips!

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June is National Safety Month and with so many sitters starting their summer jobs right around now, this is the perfect time to run through some quick tips on summer safety.

We’re going to do a brief series on what to do in the cases of summer hazards such as bee stings and burns, so that you’re best prepared to help keep the kids safe this season.

First up: bee stings.

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• Parents’ Guide to Bugs - Parents.com
• Do we have another Nannygate on our hands? - Motherlode
• 10 Toddler Vacation Tips - Strollerderby
• Printable play money! - FreeStuff4Kids
• Britney Spears hires ex-husband Kevin as a nanny - PopCrunch
• Top 10 things kids stuff in their noses - Babies Online

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Should sitters “love” the kids? Ask a babysitter and she’ll probably say, “Of course!” Especially considering that so many babysitters and nannies are in this profession because of their passion for children, it would make sense that a caregiver would become completely attached to her charges.

But should she love them? One mom blogger, Amy Jo, over at Philly Moms Blog doesn’t think so.

“When my mom or my sister-in-law kisses my daughter and tells her that they love her, it’s not unusual. But it is a little strange, for me at least, when the babysitter or teacher does so.”

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It seems like the whole entire world watched the season five premiere of Jon & Kate Plus Eight last night. It was definitely a different feel than any of the other Jon & Kate episodes… This one was filled with discomfort, tense moments and parental struggles that were actually pretty tough to watch.

Love her or hate her, one thing that most visitors to this blog will identify with is a Kate’s recent experience with her children in regards to their babysitter: the kids called Kate by the babysitter’s name.

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• Playground-to-English Translator - Strollerderby
• Heroic babysitter saves 4 children from house fire - WBZ Boston
• 10 Ways to Simplify Life as a Working Mom - Today Show/MSNBC
• 13 ways to keep kids learning through summer - Happy to be at Home
• Stroller/bike combo or wheeled trebuchet? - Gizmodo
• 10 swanky highchairs - Lil Sugar

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Many of us use the terms “sunscreen” and “sunblock” interchangeably. We didn’t think much of it until we came across a recent article on TheMomsBuzz.com about the differences between these two terms and what it means for those of us starting to spend time in the sun this season.

With Memorial Day weekend finally here, we wanted to share some important information about how to protect yourself and the children you may be caring for now that summer has arrived.

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We don’t know of any parent who wouldn’t want the nanny to have a cell phone (in case of emergencies and for checking in during the day). Emergencies are one thing, but a recent article on SFGate.com talks about how several nannies use their cell phones to make personal calls while on the job. It’s got parents and caregivers in San Francisco and beyond quite vocal on their feelings about nannies using cell phones, so let’s take a look at what each side is saying.

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Cookie Magazine recently conducted an interview with actress, author, reality star and mom Tori Spelling in which she talks all about her family, her kids and the people in their lives — including their caregiver.

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• Incredible, handpainted 360-degree murals - My Modern Metropolis
• 10 rules for new graduates - momlogic
• The truth about infant CPR for parents and sitters - Baby MEDBASICS
• Traveling with a toddler? Read this mom’s travel secrets - Cafe Mom
• Rob Lowe’s nanny lawsuit comes to an end - People Magazine
• Children’s Choice Book Award Winners - Strollerderby

[via]

Dear Genevieve: I was recently called by a VERY nice man in a desperate need to find a sitter for that night. I was available and came over a few hours later. The 3 boys seemed nice but everything changed when the parents left. They fought and got into everything. Their youngest child had several temper tantrums each hour, and would throw and try to break anything he got his hands on. It got so bad that I almost called the parents, and I have never done that before. When they came home I told the father about the crazy night, and he said it was normal! I feel bad because the parents are great, kept in contact with me when they found out they would be home later then thought and even gave me a $25 tip. But how do I explain to them that I can’t babysit their children because they are out of control? ~Anonymous

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Everyone knows that June is the kick-off for wedding season, but you might not know that this is a terrific chance for you, the experienced care provider, to earn some extra money. After all, flower girls and ring-bearers look so sweet toddling down the aisle, but what on earth is a bride to do with them at the reception? Increasingly, couples are looking at ways to accommodate young wedding guests, without the risk of projectile vomit on their Vera Wang wedding dress.

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It’s been Baby Watch 2009 over here at Sittercity as two of our employees have been preparing to become first-time parents. This past weekend, our Technology Manager, Brendan, welcomed his daughter Frances Lou into the world just in time for Mother’s Day.

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Mother’s Day is this Sunday, so we just wanted to take a minute to say HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY to all the great parents on Sittercity — care seekers and caregivers alike.

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Via nualabugeye

While some swine flu fears are starting to fade and certain schools are no longer closing, there’s no indication that the words “swine flu” will be leaving our vocabulary quite as quickly. In fact, CNN is reporting that the outbreak isn’t winding down yet and could even come back again in the fall. With swine flu still sticking around and children hearing a lot of hype about the virus, we’ve got some helpful talking points from our partner, Bright Horizons, for parents and caregivers who talk to kids about swine flu.

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This Friday, May 8, is National Provider Appreciation Day, honoring the country’s child care providers! It’s a day when we can all take a moment, step back and give a great big THANK YOU to all of the amazing babysitters, nannies, daycare workers, teachers and other child care workers for their dedication, efforts, sincerity and love that they provide every day.
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There’s been a lot of talk, worry and fear surrounding the swine flu pandemic, especially in the last couple of days. School closings, global alerts, ER visits — people are getting scared out there. But rather than panicking, experts are telling us to keep calm, use common sense, stay alert and follow tips to avoid catching the virus. We’ve got a few of those essential swine flu tips to help both caregivers and parents remain healthy during this tough time.
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Summer is just around the corner, which means that summer babysitting jobs are starting to appear all across the country on Sittercity.com. If you’re one of the countless sitters looking for seasonal work, follow these 5 tips to land the summer job of your dreams.
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