Babysitting has evolved. It can now be done virtually. A lot of parents are curious about it. They want to know what is virtual babysitting and how exactly does it work?
Staying home with the kids can get pretty tiring. It’s not just them you need to attend to. There are chores to do and errands to run.
It’s not any easier if you’re working from home these days. That’s a lot to deal with. You need all the help that you can get.
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So, if you want to know what is virtual babysitting, then you’ve come to the right place. I’ll tell you about it.
Table Of Contents
What Is Virtual Babysitting?
Virtual babysitting is the opposite of in-person babysitting. The babysitter is not physically around. Instead, she is engaging with kids digitally. She is video calling the kids to entertain, keep them company, or help with homework.
The parents are still around. They just need their kids to be doing something worthwhile. Hence, it’s the reason why most parents prefer to hire a professional when it comes to virtual babysitting. Related Read: What Are The Rates On Sittercity?
Virtual babysitting can only be done for short periods of time. Unlike in-person babysitting where the babysitter can stay in your home for hours, virtual babysitting can only be done for a short period of time.
Well, there’s a good reason for that. You wouldn’t want your kids to be glued to the computer for more than an hour, would you? Besides, their attention span is pretty short. A good virtual babysitter should know that. Related Read: Check Out Some Sittercity Bio Examples
One hour is considered pretty long. However, a virtual babysitter can always do another session within the day. You can always call on her and request her to log back in. That way, she can come back online to resume the activities with your kids and you can do what you need to do without being bothered.
With more and more parents working from home, virtual babysitting has become very popular. It can keep the kids quiet during meetings. It can also keep them off the television and other digital platforms.
If you think virtual babysitting is applicable only during the summertime, think again. Parents are also relying on virtual babysitters during school time. They hire virtual babysitters who could also help their kids with homework. That way, parents can relax and unwind at night. No need for them to worry about school work.
Advantages And Disadvantages Of Virtual Babysitting
As convenient as it may seem, virtual babysitting has its advantages and disadvantages.
Let’s start with the advantages:
- Kids can get busy and do something worthwhile. Virtual babysitters provide meaningful games and activities that encourage learning.
- No need to have someone come over to the house. You don’t have to worry about having a stranger around the house.
- Easy to set up. Virtual babysitting sessions are easy to set up. You just need a computer and internet connection.
- Parents can request more than just one session during the day. You can do more than just one session with the virtual babysitter. It’s just a matter of scheduling it within the day.
- No need to do face-to-face interviews with the babysitter. You don’t have to worry about meeting the virtual babysitter face-to-face. You can do the interviews online as well, which can save you a lot of time.
As much as there are advantages, there are disadvantages as well.
Here are the disadvantages:
- It’s not for all kids. There is no way you can consider virtual babysitting for your three-year-old kid. It will be pretty hard for a three-year-old kid to engage with the virtual babysitter and vice versa. Virtual babysitting is recommended for kids 5 years old and above. They’re old enough to understand how video calls work. Most importantly, they can engage with virtual babysitters.
- The need for a reliable internet connection. There’s no doubt about it. You need a reliable internet connection for virtual babysitting. If the virtual babysitter is all set for the session and you can’t seem to connect, you’d still have to pay for it. You can’t blame the virtual babysitter for your weak internet connection.
- It might take some time for the kids to get used to it. Kids easily get distracted. If they’re not used to the virtual setup, they might end up wandering off. It will take time for some kids to get used to it.
- Parents might have to join the initial session. In the beginning, you might even have to sit with your kid to assist him or her. That totally defeats the purpose of hiring a babysitter, right?
Just like any kind of service, virtual babysitting has its advantages and disadvantages. It’s really up to you to decide if it’s suitable for your kids. Related Read: Save With A Sittercity Promo Code
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How Does It Work?
It’s interesting how virtual babysitting works. The babysitter doesn’t show up at your house. Instead, she uses platforms such as Zoom, FaceTime, or Skype to engage with your kid. Related Read: Order Sittercity Background Checks
On the other hand, parents prep their kids for virtual babysitting by having them sit by the computer. Then both parties connect online, depending on which platform they decide to use.
It seems pretty easy, right? Well, not exactly. The challenge for virtual babysitters is how to keep the kids engaged.
It’s possible for the kid to just run off to the kitchen and not come back anymore. A good virtual babysitter should be able to keep the kid stuck to the computer for the duration of the session.
Sittercity has a long list of exciting games and activities for virtual babysitters to use during their sessions. It recommends games such as Minecraft. It also lists down activities such as drawing with stencils, playing Charades, making shapes with Playdoh, and dancing to keep the kids engaged.
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Of course, reading and writing are also included in the list of activities recommended by Sittercity. A good virtual babysitter must be able to make use of these activities to keep the kids engaged. That’s no easy task.
Where To Find Virtual Babysitters
The popularity of virtual babysitting has gotten some parents thinking that they can hire just anyone to do the job. They can even hire their kid’s teacher to do some virtual babysitting for them. Yes, that’s possible but why should you do it?
I recommend that you find virtual babysitters on subscription-based childcare websites. Why? Well, I’ll tell you why.
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Subscription-based childcare websites, such as Sittercity, are safe platforms. Professional babysitters opt to sign up with these kinds of websites to protect themselves. For starters, they’re guaranteed that they only connect with parents who are seriously looking for a babysitter.
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In the case of virtual babysitting, babysitters want to be guaranteed that they will get paid, no matter what. A payment system is usually embedded in some of the leading subscription-based childcare websites, which makes it very easy for parents to pay. That is why babysitters find it safer to sign up with them. They know they’ll get paid, no matter what.
As a parent, you’ll also feel a lot safer with subscription-based childcare websites. For starters, you’re guaranteed that you’re connecting with professional babysitters.
Safety is still your top priority even with virtual babysitting. Keep in mind that there are a lot of crazy people out there who can do bad stuff over the internet. They can pose as virtual babysitters and abuse your kid online. In this day and age, anything is possible.
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That’s the reason why you need to find virtual babysitters on legitimate childcare websites such as Sittercity. Don’t take a chance on just anyone. Finding a virtual babysitter on a subscription-based childcare website provides a layer of protection for both babysitters and parents.
The need for virtual babysitters has surged. It seems like virtual babysitting is here to stay but you still have to play it safe.
Have you tried virtual babysitting for your kids? If yes, how did it go? Feel free to share your experience with us. We’d love to hear from you.
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It used to be the case that I would babysit for families. These days, I’m the one hiring sitters to watch over my little girl. LOL! How time flies. My mission now is to share some of my insights so that other moms get to benefit from my experience with babysitting. Read More
