Summer Sitters = Summer Fun
Part of the summer craziness and a typical number one priority for most families is finding childcare throughout the summer. Parents often patch together day camps, vacations and help from friends or relatives just to get through the summer months. This is where a Napp Summer Sitter can make your life easier and the summer season alot more fun for your kids.
When you choose to hire a Napp Summer Sitter, you are in control of the care provided to your children. You are able to work directly with your summer sitter on activities, excursions and other fun activities tailored to your children’s specific interests or needs. Since our sitters come to your home for care, you don't have to worry about the hassles of getting your kids out the door and to camp on time. No more rearranging your work schedule to leave early or arranging for a pickup at the end of the camp day!
When looking into hiring a summer sitter - whether it's a regular daily or weekly sitter or a one off date night, thinking about how you would like your kids to spend their summer days can be helpful in planning. Typically, the kiddos are happy to offer up their opinions too! Discuss summer plans and the use of a summer sitter with your children ahead of time You can involve them in making a “Summer Bucket List” of outings, activities or games they want to partake in with their summer sitter.
“My daughter had a wonderful time! There wasn't an awkward “getting to know you” period of time; they just launched into playing for four hours!”
-Napp Family
Brainstorm Fun!
Think about what you’d prefer your kids do with their summer sitter and which activities are off the table. For example, if you don’t want your children sitting in front of the TV or using their devices during their free time, offer up activities like reading or going to the playground that you’d prefer them to be a part of instead. Similarly, make sure the sitter is comfortable participating in the activities on your list. Are they okay taking your kids to pools, water parks, or the beach? Are they comfortable being on their feet for a long time at museums, the zoo, or at theme parks? Will they need to know how to swim and/or have access to a car to drive the children? Are you also looking for someone who can also add a bit of academics to the summer to help prevent learning loss? Maybe someone who has a teaching background or is studying to be an educator to provide age-appropriate, constructive learning activities. Communication is key: get on the same page with your summer sitter from the start.
Another option would be to encourage your summer sitter to set up playdates with your children’s friends over the summer. When the summer heat becomes too harsh and your kids aren’t able to leave the house, a playdate can make everything much more lively and fun. If you're comfortable, your summer sitter can even connect with other sitters and their charges to get together for play! When posting your gig in the Napp App parents are able to customize their notes to the sitters - this way you can include any details about the day so sitters know ahead of time!
“She is just wonderful. So kind and caring. My son takes time to warm up to new people and she has been so patient as he comes around! I love all of her creative ideas for play.”
-Nappy Family
Routine With Flexibility
Now that you’ve discussed which activities are acceptable and which aren’t, take the time to talk with your Summer Sitter about how they should organize your child’s day. Even if you’re letting the sitter take the lead on scheduling, you can still give them some guidance on what most summer days should look like and what your kids are used to. Of course, no two days are alike when it comes to kids’ activities, but it’s always helpful to establish a baseline routine so that the kids are comfortable with the transition from school schedule to a summertime sitter. Summer schedules can be pretty chaotic. You need to think about what the summer will look like for your family and create a basic calendar to review with your summer nanny. This should be both specific — what will a typical day look like for your nanny and long term including any summer camps or activities your kids will attend or regular play dates.
Emergency contact numbers and a calendar with a basic schedule is ideal for the sitters to have on hand. You can include meal, nap or activity times. Other helpful information is locations of local parks, playgrounds, places they may frequent for outings, names/addresses of play dates, etc. Meanwhile, add any rules or time limits you have in mind when it comes to TV viewing or video games. And just in case there's a hiccup in the schedule - where you just can’t make it home quite in time - leave some information about nightly rituals like bath time, favorite bedtime stories and lullabies to make getting ready for bed or going to sleep less stressful for everyone. Here’s a perfect example and free printable for Sitter Information that you can quickly fill out and keep posted on the fridge!
“Great comfort is what I feel when Theresa accepts my sitting job and when she is with my kids” She is sweet, friendly, timely and accountable. Thank you!”
-Napp Family
Book Your Summer Sitter Using Napp App
Start by entering in the dates and times you will need sitter coverage. If your family needs recurring or part-time/full-time sitters please use the ‘recurring gig’ option in the app when posting or reach out to us directly via email at info@nappnetwork.com. Next, briefly describe your family dynamic. How many children are going to be in the home at the time of care? Is anyone else going to be home? Pets in the home? Are there any dietary restrictions in home or religious requirements that a sitter should be aware of? Please be sure to mention any special needs or specific experience requirements such as caring for children with allergies, Autism, special needs, behavioral challenges, etc.
While you are completing your gig request, note all of the sitter responsibilities that you are requiring of the caregiver at the time of your post. Children’s meal prep, diapering & bottles for the babies, any types of activities or interests the children have and your family’s philosophy on discipline are all great details to note in your gig posting. Please reiterate this when your sitter when they arrive. Lastly, if you are looking for a helping hand with the household please mention any additional duties that you would like help with. Some sitters are open to these additional tasks, others are not, so it is considerate to mention anything along these lines.
“She was fantastic! She has that rare combination of being really sweet and caring but very confident and competent with children. I trusted her right away and my child was very well cared for.”
-Nappy Family
Remember that every summer day doesn’t have to be scheduled! Your child can have a lot of fun and lots of wonderful summer experiences when they have the freedom of an open-ended day. Our goal is to help families lessen their stress to squeeze everything around their work schedule. Napp Summer Sitters can give you and your kids the flexibility to customize your summer experience. Lucky for you, Napp already has an incredible source of highly qualified sitters and can match you with an ideal set-up based on your family’s specific needs.
Happy Summer, fam!