Iconoculture: Finding a reliable babysitter can be tough. Sitter Soirees in Portland, Oregon, streamline the process with “speed-dating” sessions that bring parents and sitters together at informal gatherings held in family-friendly boutiques.
Soiree founder Jen Fererro recruits potential sitters from local colleges and employment websites. The dozen or so who make the cut out of 50-70 applicants boast impressive creds, from special-needs experience to bilingual fluency.
Parents pay $45 to attend the Soirees, some with toddlers in tow. Once a match is made, sitters charge the standard rate: $10-$15 an hour.
Speed-dating works for singles. Why not babysitters? The opportunity to chat casually with candidates — and compare them with one another — gives parents a better feel of whether a sitter's right for them.
Once getting a sitter was as simple — and safe — as calling a friend's teenage daughter. In today's danger-fraught world, parents demand rigorous reviews. They're also looking for sitters to stimulate the kids, not just park them in front of the screen.
Soirees pair parents with potential babysitters [Iconoculture]
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