Tag: babysitting

Out With the Old, In With the New

platinumsitters

Introducing the PlatinumSitters App!

GET THE APP

PlatinumSitters is a people first company, making our users our top priority. Our mission is to provide families with an easy, transparent, and safe childcare solution and experience. We recognize that as times are evolving, the needs of users are too. We understand that finding childcare needs to be easily accessible, which is why we have launched our new mobile PlatinumSitters app. Whether you’re at home, work, or wherever your busy life takes you, you’ll now have access to the safest, quality, sitter community at the push of a button.

Safety & Trust:

At PlatinumSitters, we value your privacy, safety, and trust. Our local management team pre-vets every sitter that is hired through us. Our vetting process includes:

  • Background checks
  • Minimum of 2-3 years of childcare experience
  • Minimum of 2 professional reference checks
  • Clean driving record and access to reliable transportation
  • Face to Face interviews 
  • Community ratings
    • All of our families are encouraged to provide a review of their sitter with our 5-star rating system that you have access to view before booking

So what does this mean?

We are excited to show you all of the improvements that we have worked diligently to make. From transitioning from our website to the app platform, you are provided with:

  •  A faster and more personalized user experience
  • Direct communication between users through chat function and app notifications 

Family Features:

  • Flexibility to schedule occasional and recurring bookings
  • Rate and favorite sitters
  • Privately chat with your sitters
  • No cash? No problem. No more running to the ATM! 
    • We handle all transactions directly in the app to make it more convenient, seamless, and secure
  • Easily view available, pre-vetted sitters profiles including profile pictures and biographies

Sitter Features: 

  • Unique schedule when you’re available
  • Alerts and incentives for last minute bookings 
  • Privately chat with families
  • View open jobs
  • Easily update your profile and preferences
Valentine’s Day Crafts for Sitters

Valentine’s Day Crafts for Sitters

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Now that parents have found something to do to celebrate their love, it’s time to let the kids in on the action! Help them share the love by setting up these Valentine’s Day crafts and games. Parents, these are great activities to let our sitters do with your kids while you’re out–just leave them the supplies and they’ll do the rest. 

Write Valentines for Mom and Dad

Use whatever you have lying around–construction paper, pipe cleaners, magazines–and let the kid’s express their love for their parents. Help them write a list of ten things they love about mom and dad or draw a picture of what they love doing together. 

Create a Paper Chain

Countdown to love day by creating a paper chain. Use red, pink, and white construction paper to create strips. Loop them together and secure them with glue or tape. Kids can take one chain off each day to create excitement–and it makes for a cute decoration in the meantime! 

Create a Valentine’s Day Treat

Who doesn’t love a little something sweet for the holidays? Try this cute ten-minute dessert from Six Clever Sisters which just takes a few ingredients: Hershey’s Hugs, pretzels and M&Ms! This a great “cooking” project for little hands. If you make enough, take a walk and share with your neighbors! 

Let’s Talk About Love

Do a little research on the history of Valentine’s Day and help kids come up with a “lesson” for Mom and Dad about love. Kids can create their own skit to act it out and even make a list of how we can spread love now–complimenting strangers, helping mom and dad around the house, sharing with siblings–the possibilities are endless! 

Chemistry is Real! 

We love any chance to incorporate a little STEM into our day! These salt hearts will get you talking about a different kind of love on this Valentine’s Day! What is nice about these is that they last forever so you can display them year after year as part of your decor. 

Hidden (love) Messages 

Create invisible ink using pure lemon juice! Simply squeeze a lemon into a bowl and use a q-tip to draw your secret messages on paper. Let them dry and when mom and dad come home from date night they can use a heat source (light bulb, low temp iron) to reveal the secret message. 

Geometric Hearts

Need an activity for older kids? This art project is great for talking about color theory, math and creativity. You likely have the supplies at home and the end result can be given as a gift or displayed for years to come.

Art Tutorial 

If you’re working with younger kids but still want to get artistic, this sweet tutorial would be a blast! The step by step directions make it easy for younger kids to create a masterpiece they are proud of. 

Heart Shaped Pizza

Our sitters are happy to make dinner for your kids while you’re out–so why not make it fun? Pre-made crusts make this homemade pizza easy to assemble and kids will love calling the shots for dinner. 

Love-Themed Movie Night

Grab some popcorn and candy and let the kids enjoy a movie night full of love-themed movies. Try “Lady and the Tramp”, “Beauty and the Beast” or “Up!”. Make it extra special with blankets and pillows on the floor!

Valentine’s Day Events In Our Regions

Valentine’s Day Events In Our Regions

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Sometimes the hardest part about planning a fantastic Valentine’s Day date is simply getting the sitter but since we have already got that handled for you, we figured we would help with the rest, too! Valentine’s Day runs the gamut from fancy and fabulous to low-key but even the most cynical among us love a good excuse to get out and do something! Check out date-night suggestions from our different service regions—and then let us know when you need your PlatinumSitter to arrive.

Charlotte

Sip N’ Paint

February 12 at 2:30 p.m. 

Local artist J. Voc will guide you through a painting class while you sip prosecco and enjoy chocolate covered strawberries at The Thirsty Dog in Belmont.

Candlelight: Valentine’s Day Special 

February 12 at 7 p.m.

Enjoy music from a stringed quartet during this romantic “Romeo and Juliet” inspired production.

Dinner Detective

February 13 at 6 p.m.

Add a little mystery to your Valentine’s Day with this murder mystery dinner theatre. 

Valentine’s Dinner at Carolina Brew Supply

February 14 at 6:30 p.m.

This is not your average Valentine’s dinner! Enjoy six courses with special wine pairings during this private dining experience.

Greensboro 

Couple’s Valentine’s Dinner

February 12 at 4 p.m.

This fun-filled night will include dinner, couple’s games and photo opportunities. 

Greensboro Big Band

February 13 at 3 p.m.

Enjoy the sounds of The Greensboro Big Band and either watch or partake in the swing dancing at this event! The best part? It’s free!

Chris Wiles’ Very Special Valentine’s Day Show

February 14 at 7 p.m.

Loosen up for your Valentine’s Day celebration with lots of laughs at this Comedy Zone show.

Raleigh 

Charcuterie Board Design 

February 12 at 2 p.m.

Learn to create your own gorgeous charcuterie display at this workshop just in time to create something special for Valentine’s Day!

Romance in the Air

February 12 at 4:30 p.m.

Check out the sounds of Adele, Lady Gaga, Etta James and more as performed by a 16-person chamber choir. 

Chocolate Lover’s Flight 

February 13

Check out the special Valentine’s Day flight at The Flying Saucer featuring four different chocolate beers.

Downtown Raleigh Valentine’s Day Scavenger Hunt

February 13

Head downtown to  the Sir Walter Raleigh statue at the Raleigh Convention Center  and grab your treasure map. Follow the clues to earn prizes!

Wilmington

Coglin’s Second Chance Prom

February 12 at 8 p.m.

Take a step back in time and enjoy all of the fun parts of prom–dressing up, dancing, lots of picture taking–but with yummy cocktails and no curfew!

Valentine’s Day Run 

February 12 at 9 a.m

Kick off your love weekend with a run through Wrightsville Beach! Make it a date night with a stop for brunch on your way home.

Speaking of Wilmington, we have an exciting giveaway in this area! Head over to Instagram to check out the chance to win four hours of free babysitting in addition to some amazing prizes from Beauty and Bloom, Native Salt Cave and Wellness and The Second Glass Wine Bar!

How She Does It: Abigail Schneider

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This week’s installment of How She Does It features our community manager in the Triangle Area, Abigail Schneider! She is truly the PlatinumSitters expert and is a magician at finding amazing babysitters, In addition, she is raising a baby of her own! Working from home with a little one around is a true challenge and she makes it look easy. Read on to find out how she does it!

Abigail Schneider

Community Manager for the Triangle Area

Mom to Neil II, almost 1

Partner to Neil

Uses PlatinumSitters: Weekly

Your son is 1 ! What has been your favorite stage thus far?

I have loved it all, but the older he gets when new words enter his vocabulary and he learns new things it is so much fun.

What is your biggest struggle in terms of finding balance?

  With a partner who works long days, travels and is gone most awake hours, I have had to learn to let go and set small realistic goals for myself. I have also tried to learn to time block so that I can be present for my child and devote my full attention to work when focusing on that.   

How has PlatinumSitters helped you in that pursuit?

PlatinumSitters has helped a ton with the days/weeks my son is out of “school” or if I have a week where I am overloaded and overwhelmed. I book a sitter for just a few hours so I can dedicate that time to nothing but getting my things done.

What would you go back and tell yourself as a first time mom?

  To believe everyone when they say “time goes by so fast” and to really enjoy each and every little moment. To also be easy on yourself and be sure to take time for yourself to reset if possible. 

 Quick! You have two hours of kid-free time…what are you going to do?

  Either run for the car to run errands kid free OR lay across the couch while catching up on my shows and doing nothing 🙂

The Daily Details: An Afternoon of Self-Care

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a beautiful day for some beauty treatments

Hey friends!

I wanted to share my afternoon adventure with you all! I went uptown to The Daily Details for a little self-care after working all morning. It has been a busy week and it was so nice to have this to look forward to on Friday afternoon!

I booked an appointment for an eyebrow wax and tint on the Daily Details website. I love that it’s easy to see what services they offer, pricing and availability right online.

The staff at the salon was really helpful–I was even able to call and adjust my appointment when I realized I was a little ahead of schedule. The girl who answered the phone was friendly and even helped me navigate parking (because let’s be honest–parking uptown is the opposite of relaxing!).

Once I arrived, I was greeted and offered something to drink–they have Prosecco and wine, in addition to wine and soft drinks. They brought me to the back where they do waxing and tinting.

Danielle introduced herself and immediately told me what to expect from the appointment, as I told her I was nervous since my brows had gone quite awhile without any attention! She was thorough and knowledgable–even asking about what skincare I use to avoid any potential interactions. I appreciated how–no pun intended–detailed she was.

Additionally, Danielle is a mom, too. We talked about our kids and how hard it is to balance work/home balance. She was super cheerful and fun and I felt like I spent half an hour with a friend!

I do not typically tack something for myself onto the end of my baby-free time but I knew Mae was in good hands and it felt great to do a little something for myself! The best part was The Daily Details made scheduling an appointment super easy and Danielle was so fun to work with.

Interested in trying The Daily Details for yourself? For the month of April, the Daily Details is also offering $5 off brow services! Stay tuned–we will have an exciting announcement on our Instagram Monday morning!

Babysitting: Beyond Date Night

platinumsitters

We all know the feeling: your kids are safe with a sitter, your husbands driving, and you are headed for a scream-free dinner. Its pure bliss, right? Well, at PlatinumSitters we believe you deserve to feel that carefree and relaxed more often. Additional date nights are a great place to start but we can help with so much more!

Birthday Parties

There’s the cupcakes that need handing out–Beckett wants chocolate and Aiden prefers vanilla. There is the juice boxes that need straws in them and someone needs to fill up the next round of water balloons. Has anyone seen the lighter for the candles? Oh, and maybe you’d also like to enjoy your kiddo’s expression as he opens his gifts. Hire some extra hands and soak it all in–they’re only this young once!


Grocery Shopping

Let me set the scene: you’re cruising the aisles. You’re drinking Starbucks. It’s hot. You’re actually following your list. No one has asked you for Oreos. You’re getting Oreos you can hide somewhere to eat in your closet later. It’s heaven, really. Totally worth that two hour minimum.


Family Events

You know what you don’t need? To spend two hours cooking, cleaning and prepping for your mother-in-law to come in and criticize your youngest’s outfit. Someone to come hang out with the kids while you get ready for your parent’s anniversary dinner will make all the difference for the night–and your sanity.


Self-Care

When’s the last time you got to soak your feet in a pedicure tub while sipping a cold drink? Too long? Hire someone to take the kids to the park for the afternoon. They’ll be thoroughly worn out while you’re thoroughly relaxed and then you can still enjoy some low-key family time before bed. Win-win!


PlatinumSitters vets all of our sitters through background checks, reference checks and interviews. We believe in hiring engaging sitters who are going to have your kids asking when they can return. Our sitters know to follow your house rules regarding screen time, meals and bedtime. PlatinumSitters is run by moms and we only hire sitters we would trust with our own kids because we know how important safety and reliability is.

Its simple to register (www.platinumsitters.com), input the dates and times you need, and review profiles of available sitters. Rates are set per child (starting at $14/hour) and no cash exchanges hands–we charge the card on file! We are making babysitting easy and stress free so you can have peace of mind to enjoy the day-to-day and the special times.

We look forward to working with you!

Daylight Savings is the Worst

Daylight Savings is the Worst

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A lot of us spent the past 48 hours slugging through the day, dragging whining kids behind us. They’re overtired but the sun is still up so they’re kicking and screaming all the way to bedtime.

So, why exactly are we torturing ourselves?

We can thank ol’ Ben Franklin for this one. He realized he was wasting daylight hours and hatched a plan to get everyone up earlier.

He had three kids so why would he do this to us?!

However, the idea really caught on during WWI as an energy-saving tactic and the practice has been a staple in many western countries since then. Although it does save a small amount of energy, the biggest push for keep Daylight Savings Time is actually a financial one.

When the sun is shining, we do more. We go more places and we spend more money. There is a lot of lobbying done to make sure we keep those “summer” hours. So, if you’re tempted to lobby against DST next year, be prepared to go up against….ya know, actually lobbyists.

So, whats the key to coping? As much as it stinks…you gotta go to bed at the same time and get your kids up at the same time. That means that at some point, everyone is truly going to be functioning on one less hour and it may take a few days to sort things out.

The good news is: this means spring is on the horizon! Your evenings can now include park visits, backyard grilling and bike rides. If you’re heading out without your kids (and with the use of a PlatinumSitter!) you can expect to be more alert when driving, to enjoy more outdoor concerts and patio dinners. It isn’t all bad after all. Thanks, Benny!

Mama’s Got a Brand New Blog

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PS-Charlotte-5-2

It’s cliche, but its true. You can’t pour from an empty cup. Never has this been more evident to me than since welcoming my newest gal, Mae, just four months ago. Its amazing how you can go from a well-groomed, reasonably intelligent, kind-of-put-together human to an absolute, hormonally drenched, disaster in just a third of a year. But that postpartum wizard is certainly magic.

Although I wouldn’t necessarily recommend having a baby and then ending your maternity leave early to start an entirely new career–I will say that this has been a transformative experience for me.

Learning about PlatinumSitters from my friend Jen, my first reaction was: Where has this been all of my life? I have known many seasons of motherhood:

—brand new mom of one: drenched in breast milk, googling every last thing at 4 am, tearful over simple mistakes, putting diapers in the washing machine during prisoner-of-war level sleep deprivation

—single mom: simultaneously lonely while also never. alone., desperate to connect with girlfriends, occasionally asked on a date but unable to locate anything to wear outside of Chick-fil-a.

—post c-section: same of mom of one except lacking all core strength

—mom of two: tired, drowning in laundry, full of emotion, happily married and surrounded by amazing friends– determined to keep it that way despite the new demands on my time

And in every season, under every circumstance, I could’ve used a hand. Because it is hard and we say that a lot but the truth is: there are resources. There is grocery pickup and laundry service and the teenager down the street to mow your lawn. There is also PlatinumSitters. And in my short time here, I have become so passionate about telling moms to take a break, soak it in and let us help. You can’t get this time back. Babies don’t keep. And mamas who aren’t running on empty are really able to enjoy it all so much more. I promise.

PS-Charlotte-27

I am so excited to take over the PlatinumSitters blog and share with you all the hilarity and challenges I face in my own motherhood journey, the exciting and fun things we are working on at PS, how we find your awesome sitters, and who exactly the moms are who are running this machine.

Stay tuned–its going to be a blast!