The Sitting Unicorn

Overnight Childcare

Who Am I?

I am a mature female (okay, I'm 58). I started babysitting at 12 and never really stopped. Between family and friends there have been somewhere over 50 kids who have called me Auntie Alia. That's a lot of kids over a lot of years.

What service am I offering?

I can provide overnight care for up to four children in my home for up to 15 hours with flexible dropoff and pickup times.

I am near Dobson and Main in Mesa.

I worked in hospitals as a ward clerk/unit secretary for over 20 years and almost all of my family has or does still work in the medical field. Mostly as nurses. I know that you can't always get out when the clock says you can and I know that sometimes you get called in early. By offering a 15 hour block there's no worry about penalty for late pickup. If you get called to go in early, immediately call me to make sure I'm at home and awake. (I sleep during the day and will be up all night.) As long as I don't feel I'm being taken advantage of I'll work with you.

I have current first aid, CPR and fingerprint cards. I have completed the EMT and CNA training but no longer have current certs. I do have a current pharmacy technician license but that doesn't seem particularly pertinent here.

Why am I calling myself The Sitting Unicorn?

I hope the sitting part is obvious. As to the unicorn...

If you work 8 hour days Monday-Friday (how do they get anything done?}, finding childcare is like buying a bicycle. There are a lot of options.

If you vary off that even just a little. If you work a longer shift but still on a weekday. Or 8 hours on weekdays but second shift. Suddenly you're buying a horse instead. Harder to find but still not uncommon.

Third shift but 8 hours and weekdays. Dayshift and 8 hours but every weekend. Now you're looking for a zebra. A lot harder to find and not at all common.

Overnights, weekends and long shifts. I'm a unicorn. When I was researching to decide on a rate I couldn't find even one other person. There must be someone somewhere but I couldn't find them.

Do we talk about the money now?

Yeah, we have to talk about money don't we. Yep. Okay. So, I couldn't find another unicorn to check what they charge. So, $18 per hour but you can't buy by the hour. I'm offering three 15 hour blocks. That's $810 per week. Paid in advance of service, please. If you want to work overtime, contact me and I'll work with you.

Anything else?

Hmmm... I'd prefer toilet trained and sleeping through the night up through not yet a surly teenager but I'm not closing off possibilities. I have two sets of bunkbeds in my second bedroom, so they'll be sleeping in real beds. I'll feed them a bedtime snack and a good breakfast. If you get here early enough, I'll probably feed you breakfast. At least a cup of tea.

Below there is a link to an application. I'll email you to schedule an interview so you and your child can see that those bunkbeds are actually real , there's food in my kitchen and oh look, toys. I'm looking forward to it.

https://form.jotform.com/260002353244038

Any feedback is appreciated. Thank you to those have already done so. It is much appreciated.

https://form.jotform.com/260087340921049