Congratulations — you not only made it through 2012, you were wise enough to make plans (child-free ones at that) to ring in the new year. Now comes the tough part — finding someone to watch the kids!
We spoke with Katie Bugbee, managing editor of Care.com — the online caregiver community — about the challenges of finding a sitter during the holidays. While babysitters are certainly at a premium, she says, "there are reliable local caregivers who are still available for New Year's Eve." The trick is knowing how (and where) to find them and what mama needs to do to keep them happy! Keep reading to see her tips, including the all important answer to how much you should be paying your NYE sitter.

Mommy Dearest –

Got a gal coming over from the Babysitter's Club? Many young middle-school and high-school ladies enjoy watching over wee ones for a lil extra spending cash and moms typically like to hire them because their working rate is usually much lower than their older counterparts. While many of them take classes in


