Traveling with kids in tow is an incredible experience, a wonderful way to bond and I highly recommend it. However, that doesn’t mean that when you travel with your kids you shouldn’t spend any time away from them. But, how right? Well, read on to see how we squeezed an Orlando date night into our 2 1/2 week trip with our kids’ thanks to Sitters In A Second, Inc.
Orlando Date Night? How to score an awesome vacation babysitter with Sitters In A Second, Inc.
Since 1994, Sitters In A Second, Inc. has been bringing the relaxation part of a family vacation back to traveling parents through their awesome babysitting services. Sarah, from Well Traveled Kids had used them several times and touted about how fabulous their sitters were with her son. So, when we were planning our trip to Orlando FL (one of the locations Sitters In A Second, Inc. services) I told my husband we should give it a try. In our case, it was less of a date with each other and more of a date with our 4 older kids who wanted to try the Teppan restaurant at Epcot but knew their little sister wouldn’t have the patience for a long meal.
Sarah had reassured me that the Sitters In A Second, Inc. team screens all of the sitters thoroughly, including running a full background check. She also mentioned that the President/ CEO requires that all sitters be infant and child CPR certified and have 8 individual (non-family) member child care references for her to check. This type of careful consideration gave me great confidence in giving Sitters In A Second, Inc. a try.
The Process
The process is fairly simple. You log online to the Sitters In A Second, Inc. website where you can find testimonials, rates and hotel requests forms (in some locations they also offer babysitting services for private residences & those forms are online as well). After filling out a request form a team member reaches out to you via email with a confirmation number. You can also call and speak with a staff member if you prefer.
My Experience
Right on cue, Natalie, our babysitter knocked at our hotel room door after checking in with the hotel concierge. Natalie was a young college student, as many of the Sitters In A Second, Inc. babysitters are. She was full of energy, immediately began engaging with Olivia, our 3-year-old and was also keen to ask questions about Liv’s likes and dislikes.
I was surprised how quickly Olivia took to Natalie, she absolutely adored her. And, I loved how comfortable Natalie was interacting with Olivia. Watching them together gave me all the confidence I needed to walk out the door with my big kids.
Natalie watched Olivia for about 4 hours which is the minimum requirement needed to schedule a babysitter through Sitters In A Second, Inc. and it was the perfect amount of time for us to escape and give our big kids and give them some much-needed attention. Having a toddler has been a blast but she definitely takes up a lot of our attention plus there are some things (like long dinners) that we definitely avoid these days.
The best part was I didn’t even have to feel guilty about leaving Olivia because while we were away Natalie and Olivia colored, played games and went for a walk (which I approved ahead of time). Natalie also fed Olivia dinner and changed her into her pajamas which was fantastic!
When we returned Liv had a huge smile on her face and didn’t want Natalie to leave. I think that says a lot about the type of service Sitters In A Second, Inc. provides. In fact, Liv loved her new babysitter so much she wouldn’t let her leave without a GIANT HUG!
Overall
Sitters In A Second, Inc. is a fantastic resource for traveling families. The fact that parents can schedule a vetted, experienced babysitter through a company that has been in the business over 20 years and has developed an incredible reputation is amazing. It allows parents a well-deserved night out with the peace of mind that their child/children are not only being well cared for but are also having a blast too!
Sitters In A Second, Inc. serves Palm Beach FL, Miami FL, Orlando FL, Ft. Lauderdale FL, Naples FL, Newport Beach/ Laguna CA, Marina del Rey/ Santa Monica CA, Los Angeles CA, Palm Springs CA, San Francisco CA, Half Moon Bay CA, and the D.C. Metro Area
+ BONUS- Tips for Future Families
If you do plan on utilizing the Sitters In A Second, Inc. services on an upcoming trip I would recommend a few things.
- Pack extra toys, coloring books, crayons etc… so your child has plenty to do. Due to sanitization the babysitters do not bring toys with them.
- Make sure to let Sitters In A Second, Inc. know of any allergies, along with your child’s likes and dislikes.
- You can request for your child to be taken to the pool to swim, but you need to do so in advance as they will send a sitter with experience.
Learn more about Sitters In A Second, Inc. on their website, Facebook page, and Instagram feed.
pin for later-
Have you ever wanted to hire a sitter while on vacation?
p.s. Don’t just take my word for it. Read more reviews from Well Traveled Kids about Sitters In A Second, Inc. here.
* special thanks to Sitters In A Second, Inc. for hosting us on our recent stay. All thoughts and opinions expressed above are, as always, 100% my own.
- Starbucks for Life is Back! [Super Secret Ways] to Play for Free & Win - November 29, 2023
- 25 Amazing Spring Break Ideas for Families You’ll Love! - November 24, 2023
- 35 Amazing Things To Do in Anaheim Beyond Disneyland - November 22, 2023
That smile is precious! Looks like your daughter really likes her sitter and that’s really important for us! This is awesome!
Belle | One Awesome Momma
Oh gosh I can’t imagine traveling with kids but this is a great tool to have on hand for those who do!
Anastasia
Itsnothouitsme.com
Ha! Traveling with kids is actually a ton of fun. Resorts that provide kids camps and services like Sitters In A Second, Inc. really take your vacations to the next level. Best of both worlds- time with my kids + time with my hubby 😉
Oh how I wish that I had this article when my children were younger… it would have come in so handy. I used to struggle with creating an entire agenda for everyone (for every single moment); never having time alone with the hubby. I always returned home needing a vacation from my vacation.
Wow what a cool idea! Great tip too so the adults can go have fun while on vacation too! I’ll have to look into this!
Melanie
It really has been an incredible find. We have used several different services depending on the destination but to be able to get at least 1 or 2 date nights squeezed in helps me come home in a much better mood. Great for the overall vacation and everyone on it.
We travel a lot and I’m yet to have the courage to try an out of town babysitting service. I’m glad you had a good experience, it’s making me feel a little more comfortable with the idea!
I totally understand. I have 5 kids and I have only started to recently. We used Kauai Babysitting Service and Sitters In A Second, Inc. Both of which were highly recommended by multiple family travel bloggers. I know it is really hard to leave your children with someone, but honestly once you find a service you can trust its a total gamechanger. I can’t believe it took me so long to try it. If you are ever in one of the areas that either of those companies service you should definitely give them a try.