SeekingSitters 2009

Well, we are wrapping up our last two jobs of 2009. It has been a fabulous start to SeekingSitters Lubbock and I can't wait to see what happens in 2010! We came back from training and opened up on Halloween. In November, we hired 5 babysitters and had 8 babysitting events. In December, we hired 6 more sitters and had 24 events! We tripled our number of jobs! I sure hope that trend keeps up! Here are a few of our stories:

Family KL: A good friend of mine didn't sign up for the service right away but then had a sitter cancel due to illness one night before they were having a large Christmas party at their house. She called SeekingSitters and we were able to set up her member account and assign a sitter by the end of the day. The party went off without a hitch and the kids loved their sitter!

Family VH: Her daughter had to go out of town for three days and left the grandchildren with her; however, she still had to work those three days. We found a sitter to stay with the kids and everyone was happy and able to take care of their business!

Family LC: A good friend of theirs called at the last minute to say he was coming to town and playing in a band downtown. She called me at 3:00 and needed a sitter for 7:00 that night. She told me she thought it would be impossible but her husband encouraged her to call. I was at Target with all 4 of my kids but I texted all my sitters and by 3:20 I had a sitter assigned and they were off to hear the music!

Family SD: She signed up for the service after her regular sitters were unavailable. She told me she was a little worried because her two kids (ages 2 and 4) had never stayed with a sitter they did not know. After the job, I talked to my sitter and she said the kids were napping when she got there but they woke up and acted like they had always known her. When she left, the little boy threw himself into her arms for a hug!

And this week I had a new sitter in my home as well. As soon as she got to our house, Ryan (age 2) asked, "Do you have a bag? What's in your bag?" My kids know every sitter comes with new, fun things to do and they can't wait to rifle through their stuff!

So that is what SeekingSitters can do! Rescue you at the last minute, save a Christmas party, befriend your children, and let you go out without worry! We plan to do even more in 2010. We will have new specials, more fabulous sitters, Restaurant of the Month, and an events page to let you know what options are out there for a great date night, or great family activities. Perhaps we cost a little bit more than your regular sitter, and it is a membership service - but look what you get! No hassles, no worries, and guaranteed sitters that your kids will love! My mom always said, "You get what you pay for!"

Why moms have insomnia

Do all moms suffer from insomnia? I know I sure do. I know why too. It's the one peaceful moment to myself! Everyone falls asleep and it seems like the perfect time to get things done. I start wondering what I should do! I can read and reply to emails! Catch up on blogs, finish paperwork for work, balance my checkbook, read my new e-book. The list seems endless! Hey! Walmart's open all night! I could even do the grocery shopping or finish Christmas shopping! These are the things that make it so hard to settle down to sleep. During the week we are on the go. Events, classes, music, piano - there is always something that makes it impossible to find time to sit down and do these types of tasks. And I know this me-time is important and makes me a better mom. When things start to pile up, I start to get cranky. I try to remind myself of how important it is to just get away sometimes and have a quiet lunch and read a good book. So without guilt, I get a sitter sometimes during the week just to give me some peaceful moments that don't deprive me of needed sleep! But it doesn't always work out which brings me to blogging at midnight. But hey! It's quiet!

What do you do when things do not go as planned?

With four children under the age of seven in my house, it is safe to say things typically do NOT go as planned. For instance, this weekend the PLAN was to finish my Christmas shopping, clean the house, do the laundry, finish my paperwork, mail out Christmas cards, and go to Cookie Bouquet for Christmas cookie decorating. What actually happened is that Friday evening at dinner my husband's back starting spasming and he ended up in bed for the entire weekend. So I took care of four kids, and him, and the house, and did not get most of my list done.

We had to do things mostly around the house so we made chocolate cake one night. This was designed to help me feel better! And decorated a gingerbread house Sunday afternoon. This was designed to help the kids feel better! (And it was a kit from Wal-Mart, just so you don't start thinking it was that impressive! Well, the kit itself was impressive but not the mommy-made-from-scratch factor!) But limited laundry was done, no shopping, and absolutely no paperwork.


But what I have learned is this - first, single motherhood is hard! Very hard. And second, get help! I didn't ask for any help this weekend and it was fine, but then my husband ended up heading to the emergency room at 6:30 am this morning and help was needed! Luckily, the grandparents stepped in to help, but we were gone all morning and then had another appointment with his regular doctor right at school pick-up time. Doesn't everything always seem to fall right at school pick-up time? But SeekingSitters came to the rescue. This is why I love this service - for myself! I looked up the sitters' calendars and found a wonderful sitter, Ann, who was available today and she came over with less than 2 hours notice. She picked up the big kids from school and stayed until we could get back. So, THAT is what to do if things do not go as planned! Call in reinforcements!

I hope your holiday season DOES go as planned this year and into your New Year, but if it doesn't.... you know who to call! Oh! And luckily, Cookie Bouquet has another cookie decorating day on December 21, so meet us there!

Snowy and the Two Year Old

Our elf has a rule that he does not like to be touched. The kids were told if they touched him, he wouldn't move to a new spot that night. Somehow this morphed in their little child minds into a decree that if he was touched, he would leave forever. Imagine the consternation this could cause! Obviously the rule was put into place so that Snowy (and I) could have some peace and so he doesn't get wagged around the house all day, broken and/or lost. So on our first day with Snowy, he was sitting on the kitchen counter. Ryan (age 2) has reached that stage where she realizes she can get to her siblings. She pulls a chair up by the elf and bumps him or pokes him, I'm not quite sure the level of transgression. This sends the other children into hysterics because now Snowy is going to leave forever!

Evan: Ryan! Do you want Snowy to leave forever? Do you?!
Ryan: Yes.
Mom: Laughing silently and letting them muddle through on their own.
Erin: (whispering to Snowy). Snowy, please do not leave. She's just two and she doesn't know better. We'll watch her carefully so she doesn't touch you again.
Evan: (writing Snowy a letter). Snowy, Ryan did not mean to touch you. Please don't leave. ERaaghueal (or some such word that even Evan could not read afterwards.)

I was called on to intervene several times, but I think it is important for children to learn to work through these types of issues on their own. As long as there is not bloodshed and the noise level stays tolerable, I generally stay out of it. Needless to say, Snowy understood the two year old point of view and her need to touch plus her need to aggravate! He did not leave and tonight has moved to preside over the Nativity scene. Imagine the baby Jesus at two years old! I bet he wouldn't have touched the Elf.