When we first moved to Grand Island, we were like many young familiesânew to the area with no family nearby to help when our childcare plans fell apart. We thought we had everything figured out, but life had other plans.
The first time our regular provider got sick, we scrambled. Phone calls, text messages, desperate pleas to anyone who might be able to help. One of us had to miss work, leaving colleagues to pick up the slack and important responsibilities unattended.
Some days it was manageableâa quiet day at the office where we could afford to be absent. But other days? We had presentations to give, meetings we couldn't reschedule, deadlines that couldn't wait. The stress of letting down our teams while trying to care for our children was overwhelming.
Eventually, we found a backup provider who was wonderfulâwhen she was available. But her schedule was unpredictable, and we were back to square one whenever she couldn't help.
That's when the idea hit us: What if we could connect families like ours with providers who had flexible availability? What if there was a network of qualified caregivers ready to step in during emergencies?
We realized we weren't alone in this struggle. Every working parent in Grand Island has faced this exact situation. The scramble, the stress, the impossible choice between work and family.
Working is hard. Parenting is harder. As we started building our provider network and speaking directly with parents, we realized that emergency care is just one piece of the puzzle. There were many times when we had planned to go out weeks in advance, and if we found a babysitter who responded, they would, at times, cancel at the last minute. We get it. Babysitters have many responsibilities, as do we all. But we really feel like there should be an easier way.
We have created a network of vetted babysitters who can post their availability, and parents can choose to go out when it works for them. From weeks in advance to the spontaneous night away, we can handle it all with the same platform.
Simple. Seamless. Safe. Thatâs the SpotOn Childcare way.