GothamBaby.com

I saw someone post a reply on here about a playdate babysitting idea, where one couple would watch another couple's baby while they go out and then switch another night while the first couple goes out. I think that's a great idea! Our daughter is 16 months old, and we are still having trouble finding a good part time babysitter that we trust. Also, I would love to give my daughter the opportunity to play with other babies more often. If anyone is interested in this idea, please e mail me at LRubinger(at)hotmail dot com. Thanks

Hello, We too are having trouble finding someone who is kind but wont spoil our baby - someone we trust with our baby. My husband and I are interested in meeting other parents with a child (around 18-36mths) who would consider the idea of a 'playdate baybsitting idea' where one couple watches the two children one night and then the other couple watches them another. This way we all save on babysitter costs, our child makes a friend and we (the couples) get a night out together alone!! Please let me know if this is something you would discuss. We are on the Upper West side. thanks

I have found a wonderful nanny. She is Filipino and lives-in. I advertised once in the Filipino Reporter and received several inquiries. Many were older women with much experience. My nanny, for example, was previously employed as a contract nanny in Singapore and Lebanon. She was a restaurant owner in the Philippines and often cooks for us - also mops the floors and vacuums daily without my asking her to do so because she knows my little girls will crawl all over the place. I pay her $80/day and she works 12-14 hr. She has been so generous with her time and effort that I decided to give her $20 transportation/wk and addl $20-30 every once in a while for the extras. She eats with us, and I pay her extra when she cooks for my dinner guests. On weekends, I drive her to the LIRR or sometimes into the city on those Fridays when we come home late after dinner. She did mention during the interview that she earned much more at her prior job - I told her we could not match it and I was worried that she wouldn't accept my offer. But after a few weeks here, she told me she wanted to come and work with me despite the pay cut because I seemed genuinely nice. You will find that Filipino nannies are loving AND hardworking. Most often they will send much of what they earn back to the Philippines to support their family. Try buying an issue of the Filipino Reporter for numbers of several agencies, or post an ad.

Our caregiver is wonderful - warm, gentle, mature and very loving toward our 7 month old daughter - she has been with us since our daughter was a newborn Our wonderful caregiver is looking for Saturday work, days or evenings We pay $15/hr on Saturdays, dinner $ in evening and cab fare 9pm onward - she has many years of experience with newborns, sings and reads to our daughter, CPR trained too If interested in Sat day/evening, pls contact her (Jeanette) directly (917) 379-5924 or you can call me for info/as reference (Nacny) 917-769-7207 Thanks!

I have a 3 month old and am about to sign up for Barnard. So far, we've used Pinchsitters ($16/hr, 4h min, cabfare but they set me up with someone from Manhattan, we tipped $10). Then we used someone we found through this group (full-time nanny M-F) - very happy with her but pricey ($15/hr, $30 cabfare + dinner) and not what we are looking for long-term. On the other hand, I have a feeling she would be happy to clean as well for a little extra per hour. Ideally, I'd like someone to come in for 2 hours every weekday so I can get a break, go to the gym, etc.

I pay my babysitter $10 and hour to watch my 10 mos. old. She is very happy to get $10 per hour as she is from Senegal, West Africa and that cash in hand is worth so much more to her children and grandchildren still in Senegal. I am basically a single mom, so $10 is the max I can afford anyway. I know of a whole community of West African women who would love to care for children and are more than qualified. They are incredibly experienced - most have kids of their own who are either grown, or are watched by other family members here and back in Africa. There is so much to be learned about child-rearing from the women of Africa. They're an untapped resource. I am so confident with the woman I have watching my son. When I get home he's strapped to her back with some cloth as happy as can be as she walk around the house finishing chores. The only obstacles are that you may have to speak a little French to communicate effectively and a lot of them may not be legal here. I also know specifically of A Brazilian woman who is looking for a full-time nanny position. I recommend her highly as she was wonderful with my son when I took him to work with me and she watched him there. Call me or email if you want more info. Tam (347)885-9954 or tamzee@yahoo.com

I pay cab at night only. I posted on craigslist and got tons of resumes. I posted that I wanted a post-college or grad student looking for babysitting...must live in Manhattan. I did not want to pay cab far further than Manhattan.

My understanding is that the going rate is about $12 (a little less -- $8 to $12 ?-- for a Barnard person). - J