LLD and Cut the Clutter have something for YOU!

It's spring cleaning time!  LLD knows organizing is something that usually gets put on busy moms' back burners, but what if we gave you a GREAT reason to make it a priority?  We're teaming up with our friends at Cut The Clutter (CTC) to offer Manhattan families the Organized Family Spring Cleaning Package!  If you didn’t know already, CTC is NYC's group of premier professional organizers who can help you turn any disorderly part of your home into a beautifully organized dream space. The package we’re offering with CTC includes babysitting services care of LLD, and organizing services care of CTC. That’s right! All bundled into one SPECIAL package for just $350!  This package gets you an initial in-home organizing consultation PLUS 3 hours of in-home organizing AND babysitting on organizing day!  Contact Natalie at natalie@cut-the-clutter.com to get your appointment set up today and for more info on rates!  Be sure to mention LLD to get the special offer. Expires 5/15/12. Only offered in Manhattan.

Why pay a membership for a sitter service?

We often get asked, "Why should I pay a membership fee to hire a sitter" and the answer is simple...

Mom and dad's are very busy and juggling family, work, and life can be such a daily challenge. Add in trying to find trustworthy sitters through one's personal network, then screening those prospective sitters and the process can be daunting.

Joining an elite company such as Lucky Lil' Darlings (LLD) enables you to take the trouble, and hard work out of the mix.  First and foremost, LLD is a trusted company that hand selects each sitter. In addition to finding top-notch sitters, we conduct extensive screening, ensuring a properly background checked and college educated sitter.  In addition, we have also perfected the LLD sitter match. We are experts at finding the right sitter for your kids and ensure a fun, reliable addition to your family, making the process secure and painless. 

Having a reliable person you can speak with about your individual family needs also really takes the pressure off. Sometimes you need to discuss options for your child-sitting needs. Whether you need a weekly sitter for date night, a holiday sitter for your next family vacation or just an extra set of hands on the weekends, LLD's personal service really helps configure the best solution for your family. We have loads of experienced sitters for all occasions: parties, vacations, corporate events etc, and we've seen it all. The level of experience we provide is hard to match, and as an LLD member you can tap into our information anytime, with a quick call or email.

Another great benefit is being able to book sitters last minute. Even if your "regular" nanny/sitter is booked, LLD has an extensive database of amazing, available sitters, and can accommodate last minute requests: what's better than that!? 

Here are some of the highlights to being an LLD member:

--LLD’s sitters are the best in the business and become true, long term role models for your children.

--LLD provides a loyal and genuine local community for elite, urban families. Our families are friends, we have great local events that enable fun family networking, hearing about amazing local deals and being plugged in to a wonderful group of mom and dad's that like you are looking to engage.

--LLD’s Secure Screening Process is extensive, organized, and thorough to always ensure your Lil’ Darlings are always in the best of hands.

--LLD’s core mission is to provide the utmost highest quality of family care solutions in a convenient & efficient manner.  We have the reputation in the business for finding the best childcare providers for your family. 

--LLD’s comprehensive suite of family care offerings reduces daily stress for busy, modern families. You tell us what you need and we do all the work!

-LB

Feel the LOVE at Cycle for Survival

For Valentine’s Day this year I wanted to highlight a cause that always makes me smile. You can literally feel the love at the annual events hosted in Equinox gyms across the US.

That event is Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center’s Cycle for Survival, the indoor cycling fundraiser raising awareness for rare cancers. LLD was there happy to support the very important cause.

At Cycle for Survival we had our sitters and my family (my mom’s mother had brain cancer and this makes us feel like we are connecting to her again) working check-in, on-site managing and babysitting in the Kids Zone! 

One of our sitters Bridget said, “it’s so incredible to me just how many people Jen (Cycle for Survival’s founder) touched.  She must have been such an incredible woman”.  Learn more about Jen’s story by watching this video

I’m personally touched by Emma’s story, I worked with her dad promoting the event last year in Chicago. Emma’s team is Emma’s Eight, read about her story here

And back home in NYC, our girl Perry, who we’ve babysat for the past 4 years, read about her story on her mom’s blog. And get this her mother rode for 8hrs Sunday! Go Anne!

Next year LLD needs to get a bike!

Happy Valentine's Day!

-LB

What is your sitter back-up plan?

What is your babysitter back-up plan?

Kids are sick and home from school.

Nanny or regular sitter is sick.

Grandparents, friends are at work…

Ugh.

It is important for every family to have a go-to sitter service, group or person that you can rely on for those last minute curve balls.  Check out this article on Daily Worth. They recommend strategizing, network and budgeting. I agree, be sure to have at least two go-to sitters or agencies on speed dial in case the need arises, where you can call one of them and pretty much be guaranteed a sitter for the next day.

Last Thursday I was at dinner around 10pm when I received the frantic message, OUR NANNY IS SICK…HELP! Luckily we had a sitter at her place at 8:30am the next day. But to alleviate stress be prepared with your back-up!

-LB

5 signs of a great sitter

When do you know you found a top-notch sitter? Here are my 5 signs of a great sitter!

She asks questions! Your sitter is through, savvy & smart. You know you found a gem if she asks you for the 411 before she starts babysitting. Does your lil’ one have allergies? Can you give me a tour of your home so I know where everything is? Is there anything you need me to do for you when the kids fall asleep? 

      She doesn’t look at her phone every 5 minutes. The sitter’s attention should be fully on your child. I frequently see nannies pushing strollers talking on their phones. How can a childcare provider push a stroller, hold up a phone up to her ear and pay attention to your child’s needs? I understand the headset in one ear and the other ear for the child for a quick call, but long time phone conversations are a NO. Also, I don’t like when sitters are constantly texting. Never should a sitter answer a phone call on the job when the kids are awake, unless they ask permission ahead of time.

      She is CPR Trained/Certified and knows the ropes of fire safety.  Wouldn’t you feel safer if your childcare provider could administer CPR if necessary? Or if someone is choking and your child needs the Heimlich?  Go with someone that is confident, educated and prepared.

     College-Educated & Professional. She has her 4-year degree, and possibly beyond. She is working full/part-time and has an impressive career.  She’s well rounded, traveled and brings her experience to provide the best childcare for your child.

     She can put on a show! Your child learns something new from her every time. She either brings activities, or has some great new activity for the kids to play with. She’s unique and fun, and your child looks forward to her visit every time.

-LB

Beyond Teaching is Beyond Amazing: Interview with Dimity Kirwan

I had the pleasure of sitting down at Peacefood Café yesterday with Dimity Kirwan, the CEO of Beyond Teaching a super savvy, fast-growing online community of teachers seeking extra work as tutors and caregivers.

Dimity connects teachers with parents who are looking for skilled and knowledgeable individuals to work with their children. Sound familiar to LLD?

Beyond Teaching believes that providing children with ongoing learning experiences is essential. Dimity and I understand that parents often struggle to find top quality childcare and tutors. LLD & Beyond Teaching are proud to collaborate in developing a solution for busy moms throughout the tri-state area by providing the best local tutors and caregivers. During the interview I had the opportunity to ask Dimity several questions about herself and Beyond Teaching.

Tell us about your story?

I’m from Wilton, CT, which is in Fairfield County. I have a twin sister, a younger brother and sister, and 3 much younger half sisters, for whom I often babysat and nannied. I went to Tulane University, in New Orleans. When I graduated, I joined Teach for America and completed a masters of education, specializing in Childhood 1-6, from Pace University whil

e teaching in Harlem.

What led you to start Beyond Teaching ?

Throughout my first three years of teaching, I supplemented my income through babysitting and tutoring, but connecting with families was always tough. I loved working with kids one on one and wished that I had more opportunities to do so, as did my fellow teacher friends. I thought it would be such a great business to connect these wonderful families I was meeting with great sitters/tutors.

What is the coolest thing that has happened to you this far?

My grant to start Beyond Teaching from the Jones New Yo

rk Empowerment Fund and meeting Dee Dee Meyers! I heard about this grant offer through Ladies Who Launch, applied, and received the grant in September 2010. All the recipients were featured in an ad campaign that ran in Elle & Real Simple Magazine.

So what is your goal with Beyond Teaching ?

On a larger scale, I'm hoping to empower teachers to utilize their skills beyond the classroom and to be compensated accordingly. I would love to do this full-time as I love being able to connect families and students with quality tutors.

What’s your favorite childhood memory?

Generally, playing outdoors with my siblings. Our house was in the middle of the woods, and we created a fantasyland out of nature! My love for nature has continued - when I'm not teaching or working on Beyond Teaching , I'm an avid rock climber and yogi!

So how do tutors get involved in Beyond Teaching ?

It's easy - take 10 minutes to visit our website www.gobeyondteaching.com and register for free.

Thanks to Dimity for all the great insight! That's all for now, make sure to keep following LLD!

-LB

LLD A Day in the Park

A big shout out goes to all of the parents who brought their kids to our Day in the Park with Lucky Lil’ Darling sitters. It was a HUGE success! We loved having the chance to meet some new adorable kids, help them get a jump-start on homework after school, and spend some time in the great outdoors. The weather was beautiful and we couldn’t keep ourselves off the playground at the park. Some of the more adventurous big kids were climbing all over the rocks! As you can see, we were having a blast!

Our sitters helped kids pick different leaves, sticks and rocks for a school project about nature. LLD sitters really do try to go above and beyond!

Before we sent the kids on their way home, we had a tasty treat of ice cream and wandered around the outskirts of the park. We really were sad to see them go! Here’s a great picture of Lindsay hanging out with some of the kids during the event.

We really hope everyone enjoyed the play date as much as we did and we can’t wait to have another Day at the Park with LLD. Keep tuned for more upcoming opportunities to get involved with LLD! As always, make sure to follow us @Luckylildarling and like us on Facebook.

TGIF!

We hope everyone is ready for an amazing 4th of July! Lucky L’il Darlings has put together our own little list of the Top 5 Family Fun things to do this holiday.

1. Have some fun in the sun! Sagg Main Beach in Sagaponack in the Hamptons is perfect place to spend the day with the kids. The beach there has wide open spaces so your little ones won’t be throwing sand on your neighbor’s blanket when they are trying to dig a hole to China – giving you a little time to sit back and relax. Maybe even read a book! Be sure to check if you need a parking pass before you head out, parking is difficult to say the least! And we all know there’s nothing like driving around in circles with your kids in the back screaming to get out and play in the sun. If you’re looking for a little seaside help, Lucky L’il Darlings babysitters will be in the Hamptons this weekend, ready to help out and make your weekend that much better.

2. Go fly a kite at the Long Island Children’s Museum in Garden City! Who needs to buy a kite when you can just make one! From 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm learn how to make your own kite, for FREE. Use your creativity and make your kite come alive in the sky. This is a great activity for parents and kids!

3. Bring the whole family out for a day of fun at Belmont Park Race Track! Sunday, July 3rd from 1-4 pm in Elmont on Long Island, the Family Fun Day will feature face painting, a petting zoo and fun carnival games. What a fun way to spend an afternoon with the kids!

4. Chow down at one of New York’s best Crawfish Boils! For all you seafood lovers that want to try a Southern-Style Crawfish Boil, The Village Pourhouse on the corner of 11th street and 3rd avenue in NYC is the place to be. For $40 per person, you can enjoy 2 crawfish baskets, unlimited Southern Chicken Sliders, Potato Salad, Corn-on the Cob and other sides. This deal is open from 6 pm – 8 pm on July 4th, giving you plenty of time to catch the fireworks afterwards. To buy tickets check out this website: http://downtownnyc.villagepourhouse.com/?p=events&i=2.

5. Go see the best fireworks in town! Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks never ceases to amaze us. This year on July 4th, beginning at approximately 9 p.m., Macy's will have fireworks being released from six barges in the Hudson River. This year's theme is The Gift of Freedom marking the 125th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty, as well as the 235th birthday of the United States. The music will be performed in sync with the fireworks and you can tune in on 1010 WINS to listen.

We hope you like some of these fun ideas for this 4th of July Weekend. We wish you the best weekend ever. Have fun and be safe!

Hey Dads! Check this out!

Hey all you hard working Dads out there. Did you know the “stress about balancing careers and caregiving is no longer just a woman’s issue”? An article in today’s New York Post discusses the growing stress being placed on the working Dads of today. Brad Harrington, the director of Boston College’s Center for Work and Family, is a working father himself and explains in the article that Dads are increasingly dealing with the same work vs. family conflict as Moms have been for the past couple decades. Harrington also helped write a report about this subject entitled “The New Dad: Caring, Committed and Conflicted”. Based on a survey of nearly 1,000 working Dads, the report paints the picture of how modern Dads are struggling to be both hands-on fathers and the hard working breadwinners. The article also touches upon issues such as work flexibility programs and how Dads are less likely to participate because of perceived expectations of their companies and management, and how many employers may have a way too outdated perception of what today’s working Dads are like.

Who knew that Dads were just as stressed about balancing work and family as Moms are! To read more visit: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/business/jobs/male_call_or5IMz3zJeHKu7svlocWNN#.Tgjj0wlqIf4.email.

We’ll we are here to support you Dads! Keep on being the best Dads you can be, and when you need help, just give us a holler!

Thanks to everyone for coming!

We hope everyone had an amazing time at the trunk show last month organized by BrightZoo and Modern Mommy! The event was hosted in a beautiful space in downtown New York where parents could take in the beautiful views of NYC while shopping for their little ones. Even better, Lucky L’il Darlings was right there with them! While the parents shopped, we supervised their kids in a conveniently located playroom.

The clothes were the absolute cutest around from such stylish brands as Purebaby, Siaomimi, Serendipity, Three Little Trees, Masala, Soft, Pink Chicken Swimwear, shirin and much, much more. Round of applause for all those trend setter parents that made the trip because a portion of the proceeds are being donated to The Autism Society of America. Shopping and charity, what could be better!

If you missed out, don’t fret! You can check out more of the collection of baby products at MD Moms website. These pediatrician mommy’s have created a whole line of products for babies and kids that are coveted by moms everywhere!

Keep checking back at the Lucky L’il Darlings Blog, Twitter, and Facebook for upcoming events and info for all you loving parents out there!