AuPairCare is happy to make, cross-cultural, live-in care an option in Savannah and surrounding areas.

Have you ever looked at a successful couple and wonder how they do it? Both husband and wife work full time jobs, run a family business, work as politicians or in philanthropy? It’s quite possible that they have a family member that lives in their home, but it’s more likely that they have live-in childcare.

For years, au pairs have been the secret of success for families in cosmopolitan areas like New York and Los Angeles and now that option is available to you. Your children will be exposed to different languages and cultures without having to leave the comfort of your very own home.

AuPairCare is the only au pair agency with an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. AuPairCare provides live-in childcare in the Savannah, Hinesville, Richmond Hill, Statesboro, Bluffton, Beaufort and Hilton Head Island areas.

Au pairs from more than 40 countries are screened overseas and, as a family, you are able to interview and select your own au pair for the best possible match. In the best cases, au pairs save families money while providing a rich cross-cultural experience.

Most host families find that the young adult they host becomes a member of their family and a life-long friend to their children. Read essays from participating families and find out more about the program by clicking here.

NO APPLICATION FEE FOR SOUTHERNMAMAS READERS! AuPairCare’s $350 application fee is being waived for SouthernMamas readers from Aug. 2 – Aug. 9. Apply at www.aupaircare.com with promo code: AUPAIR$

To find out more information about live-in childcare starting at $340 per week, call 912.844.8487 or log onto AuPairCare.com.

 Babysitters & Nannies  – which pairs families with child care providers for babysitting, part-time nanny or live-in nanny jobs – will offer an April discount to SouthernMamas readers: $50 off a yearly babysitting membership and $100 off  a nanny placement service.

Babysitters & Nannies serves Savannah, Tybee Is., Wilmington Island, Bluffton, Hilton Head Is., Beaufort, Charleston and surroundng areas. Babysitters & Nannies has an arsenal of vetted candidates who are CPR certified and have undergone DMV checks and extensive criminal records checks.

After you pay a membership fee that comes out to less than $1 a day (and even less with the April discount), you can request a babysitter 24 hours-a-day via phone, email or by filling out a Babysitter Request Form through the Babysitters & Nannies website.

Make sure you mention SouthernMamas sent you to receive your April discount.

Also, school will be out sooner than you think and Babysitters & Nannies has summer nannies for elementary kids who are out of school.

Babysitters & Nannies, Owner/Operator Jenna Lucas, Phone: 843-384-4317; Fax: 843-757-8294 email info@babysittersandnannies.com  or jenna@babysittersandnannies.com ; www.babysittersandnannies.com, 6 Victory Point Circle, Bluffton, SC 29910

Of the top 10 things that make parents anxious, the search for reliable childcare is No. 1.

Your model babysitter or nanny is a mix of Jo Frost and Mary Poppins, with a dash of Julie Andrews’ Maria von Trapp for levity.

For a blend of all of the above, check out Babysitters & Nannies, serving Savannah, Tybee Is., Wilmington Island, Bluffton, Hilton Head Is., Beaufort, Charleston and surroundng areas.

 Babysitters & Nannies pairs families with child care providers for babysitting, part-time nanny or live-in nanny jobs. Babysitters & Nannies has an arsenal of vetted candidates who are CPR certified and have undergone DMV checks and extensive criminal records checks.

After you pay a membership fee that comes out to less than $1 a day, you can request a babysitter 24 hours-a-day via phone, email or by filling out a Babysitter Request Form through the Babysitters & Nannies website.

Babysitters & Nannies offer a variety of enticing discounts – of which the best is 10 percent off to SouthernMamas readers! Make sure you mention SouthernMamas sent you.

Babysitters & Nannies Give Back Program allows you the option of donating 10 percent of your membership fee back to a participating school or charity of your choice.

Even Mary Poppins can’t beat that.

Babysitters & Nannies, Owner/Operator Jenna Lucas, Phone: 843-384-4317; Fax: 843-757-8294; email info@babysittersandnannies.com  or jenna@babysittersandnannies.com ; www.babysittersandnannies.com, 6 Victory Point Circle, Bluffton, SC 29910

How’s your child’s day-care?

State inspectors have issued more than 800 citations for violations at 85 licensed day care learning centers in Chatham County since June 2007, according to this article in today’s Savannah Morning News.

The good news is there were also seven local day cares that received NO violations during the same period.

Here are the day cares with serious problems, according to the article:

CHILDCARE NETWORK NO. 20, 12441 WHITE BLUFF ROAD

ANGEL’S CHILDCARE & ENRICHMENT CENTER II, 409 E. 39TH ST.

DUTCHTOWN CHILDREN’S CENTER, 911 DUTCHTOWN ROAD

THE STARTING POINT DAY CARE, 1929 SKIDAWAY ROAD

ELF’S CHILDREN CENTER, 4802 KIM ST.

Centers not cited include the following:

ABC Child Care Center #1, 1106 E. 48th St.

Kicklighter Academy, 7219 Seawright Drive

Sanctuary Child Learning And Development Center, 8912 Whitfield Ave.

The Lady Bamford Early Childhood Education Center, 1410 Richards St.

Wesley Community Centers CC, 1601 Drayton St.

Savannah Morning News also put together a database of state violations issued to Chatham County child care learning centers. To see if your child’s day-care received state violations, click here.