Uber for Babysitters :: YES PLEASE!
Memphis moms, there’s a new app that’s a must if you’re ever in need of a babysitter. Wyndy will change your life forever! You can download to any Apple or Android device to find college student sitters in your neighborhood. Currently Wyndy is operating in several cities including, Birmingham, Nashville, Chattanooga, Charlottesville, Mobile, and Tuscaloosa.
According to their website, Wyndy has quality, local sitters who’ve been put through an extensive interview process, as well as a background check (awesome right). Parents are able to find a sitter in less than 2 minutes! Wyndy is perfect for a night out, a last-minute change in plans, or even some “me-time” (yes I would pay someone just to take an uninterrupted nap…seriously). Whatever the occasion, Wyndy can help you find a great sitter.
Here is my babysitting dilemma: I’m in need of a babysitter that is professional, energetic, reliable, and great with kids with special needs. That isn’t easy to find, and oftentimes family can’t help out or they aren’t close enough to lend a hand. So when I heard about the app I thought, “Why not? It sounds promising!”
I downloaded the app and created a profile. It asks you for all of your personal information, plus you enter basic info for your kids. It also asks if they have any special needs, disabilities, or any special care they may require. Finally, you enter your payment info. When your profile is complete, you’re all set.
After talking to my husband, we realized we were long overdue for a date night PLUS the following day we had a birthday party we wanted to attend. I opened the app and hit the create job button. You can create as many jobs as you want. You enter the start and stop time, the hourly rate ($12 is the lowest), and then the other fields are already populated from the information you entered in your profile. You pick which kids will need care, and you can let the sitter know what “services” will be required, such as feeding, bathing, etc. There is also a box that you can include any additional information you would like them to know. After you’ve entered everything you can post the job.
Then you wait. If a sitter is interested in your job, Wyndy will notify you. There is not a limit on who can show interest, and you have the option of reviewing each applicant and picking the one that fits your criteria. Each babysitter has a bio you can read. When you find a sitter you like, you hit book, and that’s it!
Our first job was for a Saturday night at 7:00pm. It only took about 5 minutes for someone to show interest, and I booked her. She contacted me right away through text message. She introduced herself and asked to set up a time so we could talk about the kids and what would be required. She showed up on time and with such enthusiasm! I was a little hesitant about leaving my girls, but with Wyndy doing a complete background check, me being able to read her bio and see where she goes to school, her activities, her experience level, and reviews from other jobs, it put me at ease. Her great personality was a bonus. The job was posted for 3 hours and when we arrived home the girls were happy and they absolutely loved her (they didn’t even want her to leave).
You pay through the app. Now this is where I found it a little confusing. When I read about the app before signing up, it stated that your sitter would start a timer when she arrives and will stop it when you come back home. Then an invoice will be available for you to pay in the app. For me it took a minute to find out where to pay: I had to go into the booked job and there was a pay button there. When I hit it, I had to enter the time she worked, the pay rate (even though it was previously picked when the job was created), and it gave me the option to tip. I asked the sitter for help, but she wasn’t familiar with the parent pay side of the app. Once I got it figured out and submitted payment, I received an invoice through email. The sitter texted me again letting me know that she enjoyed my girls and she would be happy to watch them again for us (in the app you can “heart” your favorite sitters).
Our second job was for a Sunday afternoon at 3:30pm. It took a little longer than 5 minutes for anyone to show interest in this job but the app will notify you when someone shows interest. I booked her and, unlike our first sitter, I didn’t hear from her at all. She did text me when she was running late because she got lost. But when she got there, she was also pleasant. It took a little longer for us to leave, because I had to give her the rundown on the children. And especially when you have children with special needs, it can take a while. This job was also posted for 3 hours and when we arrived home the girls were happy, and they had a good time with the sitter. This girl wasn’t as inviting as the first but she showed up, she was in a great mood, she did her job, and the kids enjoyed the time they spent playing games. I would use her again as well.
Overall, I absolutely loved Wydny! I never thought that we would be able to do simple things like go to a birthday party in the middle of the day because we always, always have our children. My husband and I are now able to spend more quality time together because we have quick and easy access to qualified babysitters. I don’t know about you but this is a game changer for me!
