When Bubble first came out, I was skeptical. The more I researched, the more of a cynic I became. Don’t get me wrong, I thought the concept was pretty genius – but for a control freak with trust issues, aka me, did I really want to leave my child with someone I just booked via an app?
When I met Ari (the co-founder of Bubble) to find ways we could collaborate, I was straight up and shared my concern as to why I felt Bubble wasn’t for me. Whilst I’ve been craving a date night for a while now, leaving H with someone I don’t know would be enough for me to break out in a panic attack and ruin the evening.
The only way I could book a sitter would be whilst I’m home so that I could make sure H feels safe and happy whilst ensuring that we build up a relationship of trust before leaving them alone. I could even get on with some work without the endless disruptions. And that’s when something clicked – there are so many of us who work from home, find it difficult to strike a balance and give our kids the quality time they deserve without being distracted. Maybe booking a babysitter would help lighten the load, bring a few hours of productivity and allow me to have time with my child later without the guilt and worry of having other things to do.
And soon after, the idea was put to the test…
A cross between Gett and Tinder (not that I’ve actually used Tinder), the operation of it is exceptionally clever. You can see if any mutual friends have used/recommend the babysitter, read reviews and see how many sits they’ve done since joining Bubble. You’re also able to pick someone according to your budget. I throughly enjoyed swiping through so many profiles!
I had already decided I wanted someone who was recommended via a mutual friend and after scrolling through reviews, I was onto a winner. She was a nanny, had her own kids, excellent reviews and had completed over 100 sits. We also had some mutual friends! I requested a booking stating that I’d be working and would require someone to look after H. Now to see if she would accept it…oh the suspense!
About 10 minutes, all was confirmed. Just like that.
Yes, a stranger would be turning up at my door to look after my child on a Sunday morning whilst the hubster and I would get some work done. Psshhh. I didn’t know whether to be proud or petrified at what I’d just done.
Let’s fast forward to the day before… it was early morning when I received a text saying the sitter had cancelled and sadly, I was back to the drawing board. Whilst it didn’t take too long to find a replacement my booking was quickly turned down…
Onto the next… and another instant dismissal! What was I doing wrong? Was it my notes saying that I’d be staying home? I wasn’t used to such rejection and my bubble felt like it was starting to burst (pun intended).
Third time lucky, a lady called Carla accepted my request. However, there was just one problem – we didn’t have any mutual connections and she had only completed 30-something sits! Whilst she had been DBS checked, was fully qualified in first aid and had a lot of experience as a nanny, I still panicked. Yes, I am aware that my child would only be in adjacent room, but I have been and always will be THAT neurotic mother.
Carla turned up promptly, quickly sat down with H and started to play. The laughter was so lovely to hear and I knew H was in good hands – my mind was at ease. They played dolls house, board games, puzzles and pretended to be horses. The two hours passed so quickly but thanks to Bubble, it was exceptionally productive and I managed to get a lot more than I had anticipated done. H also had a blast and asked Carla if she would come and play again sometime. Result!
So, in order to answer your questions now…
Will I use Bubble again? Yes.
Will I recommend to friends? Absolutely.
This bubble definitely hasn’t burst.
To find out more about Bubble or download the app, click here.
