Who said babysitting needs to involve actual sitting? Babysitting is just another opportunity for a meaningful experience guided by someone who isn’t the parent. At least, that’s how the people at Curated Care feel about it — and the new program aims to change the way parents look at babysitting.
photo: Curated Care
Like Babysitting — But Better!
Every moment of a child’s life is a chance to learn, have fun and grow, and with Curated Care, that doesn’t have to stop when the parents are away. The sitters with the new babysitting service Curated Care will do all the things a traditional babysitter does: they’ll pick up your kid from school, watch him while you have a night out, or even guide a play date so you can relax for a bit. But the service doesn’t stop at that.
The caregivers — or as the service calls them, “Kid Experts” — will bring a dynamic, activity-led experience right to your home. Choose from a wide variety of focuses, from artistic experiences like cooking and making music, to more studious lessons like math and science. Kid Experts will come to your house armed with a smile and a full program for however many hours you’ll be gone. That means kids don’t just get to play and have fun with their babysitter — they’ll get to learn, too.
photo: Curated Care
Curating the Caregivers
While other online services rely on parents to tell each other about their experiences with a particular caretaker, Curated Care takes that task into their own hands.
Each Kid Expert is screened and interviewed in person. If the applicant is a good match for the site, he or she must undergo a two hour orientation. After that, candidates receive a full background check, professional reference checks and ongoing professional development and support that continues after they’re accepted as a caregiver.
Many of the caretakers on the site have backgrounds in theater, arts, and childcare, and one of the goals at Curated Care is to create a community that parents can trust. Kid Experts have different hourly rates, but the average is between $20 and $25. Parents are encouraged to use the service for babysitting, or as a way to bring fun home lessons to their kids.
Get Booking!
Intrigued? Head to the site and start browsing (an app is on the way). The service, which is available in all boroughs as well as Hoboken and Jersey city, understands that life happens, so while many people book caregivers a week out, you can also set something up a day or two ahead. (For those bookings, families send booking requests to multiple “Kid Experts” to better their chances of finding someone for the date and time they need.) Many families have a regular, recurring date with a caregiver each week. You can also book full days and even overnights.
Hot Topics
Currently, the most in-demand topics are science, followed by music and Spanish — subjects that might not get as much attention in a classroom or home environment. According to Curated Care, some parents even set up weekly meeting as a way of exposing their children to different subjects and languages.
For languages in particular, Curated Care is an easy a way to immerse your child in language instruction at home. The service currently employs Kid Experts who are fluent in Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Croatian and Serbian. Note that these subject experts don’t teach through rote memorization, and instead opt for immersion methods like singing songs, reading books and playing games.
photo: Curated Care
This same idea is true for all the subjects offered on the site: Kid Experts keep it fun and playful. The service currently offers activities in music, languages, science, dance, and cooking. If you can’t find the subject you want to focus on, Curated Care has 68 (and counting!) local Kid Experts who are trained in different subject areas. Want even more control over the service?; The website lists a number of specific activities you can choose from for your kids to partake in.
Online: curatedcare.com
Do you have a sitter service you love? Tell us about it in the comments!
—Yuliya Geikhman
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