Editor: How many sitters are currently registered with you? What is the average age of the sitters who have registered?
Nakamura:As of the end of January, we have 337 registered sitters. Most of them are in their 30s, but we also have sitters in their 50s and 60s. The age of the sitters is determined on a case-by-case basis, but especially in the case of taking care of a 0-year-old child, we tend to prefer sitters who have experience raising children, such as those who have been in charge of a 0-year-old class. In addition, our office can introduce recommended sitters to you by taking your questions over the phone.
Editor: How old are the children that you can handle? Also, what are the most common projects you receive from users?
Nakamura: We can take care of children up to elementary school age (from 0 to 12 years old). The most common request is to take care of your child at home, including drop-off and pick-up. For your information, we do not currently accept housekeeping services such as cooking, and our priority is to provide safe and secure sitting for your child. However, we do offer simple assistance such as heating up rice in the microwave, so it is of course possible to request sitting during meal times.
We want to lower the psychological barrier to using a babysitter on the strength of safety and security.
Editor: I think one of the main reasons people hesitate to hire a sitter is because they are worried about having a stranger in the house.
Nakamura:As a matter of fact, I don't think there is a solution that can clear these barriers for sure. Even so, we hope that the fact that our service is only registered with nationally certified personnel will be a source of reassurance that will help remove any anxiety. We know that there are many people who have never used a babysitter before and feel uneasy because they have no idea what a babysitter is, but we are sure that once you use our service, you will realize that it is much easier and safer than you had imagined.
Momotani: I myself have a two-year-old child, and I was one of those people who felt "somewhat uneasy" about sitting until I joined this company. When I actually used the service, I was impressed by the professionalism of the sitters, and I immediately put my complete trust in them, thinking that they would be fine (laughs). (laughs) She has a career in kindergarten and nursery school, so there are many situations where I think "I see what you mean" in the way she interacts with the children, and now she provides me with childcare advice on a daily basis.
