Vacation and resort babysitting

How vacation babysitting works

You're on vacation, so booking should be easy. Reach out with your dates and times, the address and unit or room number, and how many children you have and how old they are. Your Angel picks a sitter who fits your family and confirms everything with you, including the rate, before your date.

On the night, your sitter knocks on your door a few minutes early so you can walk through the plan together: where the snacks are, when bedtime is, what the kids are allowed to watch, and how to reach you. Then you head out, and the kids get someone new and fun who brought her own bag of games and crafts.

Rentals, condos, resorts and hotel rooms

Most families on the Emerald Coast stay in one of four kinds of places, and each has a few small things that make a sitter's arrival smooth:

• Vacation rental houses. Share the full address and any door code. Lots of beach houses look alike after dark, so a porch light helps.
• Condo towers. Give the building name, tower, and unit number, and tell us where guests park. Some towers need a parking pass on the dashboard.
• Resorts and gated communities. Tell the gate or front desk your sitter's first name and arrival time so she can get in without calling you mid-dinner.
• Hotel rooms. A sitter can stay in your room while the kids wind down and fall asleep. Leave the room number with us and let the front desk know a guest is coming up.

What to have ready for your sitter

A two-minute handoff makes the whole night easier. Before your sitter arrives, jot down or text us:

• Each child's name, age, and any allergies or medications
• Bedtime, nap, and bath routines, plus any comfort items or sound machines
• What's OK to eat and what's off limits
• Your cell number and where you'll be, plus a second contact
• The Wi-Fi, TV remote quirks, and which doors lock
• Whether the kids may play on the balcony or in the yard (most families say no after dark)

Vacation kids are often worn out from sun, sand and pool time. Plan an earlier bedtime than usual on beach days, and leave a lighter dinner for the sitter to serve. Overtired toddlers settle faster with their normal routine, even in a new place.

When families book us on vacation

The most common bookings are an evening out for dinner on the harbor or at a resort restaurant, a parents' round of golf, a spa afternoon, a deep-sea fishing charter that's too long for little ones, and a sunset or dolphin cruise. Some families book the same sitter for several nights in a row so the kids see a familiar face. Others book a single night in the middle of a busy week.

Spring break, June through August, Thanksgiving week and the winter holidays are the busiest weeks on the coast. If you're coming then, reach out as soon as your trip is set. If you only decide once you're here, call or text anyway and we'll do our best based on sitter availability.

Traveling with a baby or toddler

Tell us about the youngest one first. Your Angel uses the ages you give to match a sitter who is comfortable with that stage. If you rented baby gear such as a crib, high chair, or stroller for your stay, show the sitter where it is and how it works. Bring the monitor you use at home if you have one; it's one less new thing for your little one.