T

he founder of an interna-
tional babysitting busi-
ness began her love of 
watching children during her 
Junior Congregation days at 
Congregation Shaarey Zedek. 
“I’
m a part of a big intergen-
erational (CSZ) family,” said 
Rachel Charlupski, founder of The 
Babysitting Company. “I remem-
ber when my big cousins would 
watch me and my friends at Junior 
Congregation. When I was older, 

I did the same for other little chil-
dren. Then I started babysitting 
for kids in the neighborhood.” 
That passion has grown. For 
the last 15 years, The Babysitting 
Company has provided babysitting 
services for thousands of clients 
in a handful of cities in the United 
States and Canada. Prior to the 
pandemic, according to media 
reports, the company pulled in 
seven-figure revenues. 
Though Charlupski would not 
disclose how COVID has affect-
ed her business’
s bottom line, 
she and her three other full-time 
employees have noticed changes 
to the kinds of babysitting services 
clients request. There are fewer 
last-minute calls for social plans, 
but households with two working 
parents may call for last-minute 
work Zooms, and there are still 
urgent requests where families 
need a sitter for children at home 
while having a baby. The com-
pany began its virtual program, 
which is also seeing an uptick in 
requests, and expanded its existing 
tutoring services, as many of their 
contracted workers are certified 
teachers. 
Charlupski was studying 
journalism and Jewish stud-
ies at Arizona State University 
in Phoenix and imagined a 
career as a teacher back at Hillel 
Community Day School, where 
she received her Jewish education.
She began working for a string of 
hotels near campus that needed sit-
ter services for out-of-town guests. 
Visitors traveling with small chil-
dren needed babysitting for nights 
on the town or attending events. 
She landed friends babysitting jobs 
at the hotel as well. 
“I never imagined I’
d have a 
business in babysitting, and only 
when I was in college did I dis-
cover there was such a need for 
the placement of qualified and 
reliable babysitting services,” said 
Charlupski, who now splits her 
time between Los Angeles and 
Detroit.
Now, The Babysitting Company 
has a network of more than 1,200 

screened and certified sitters 
in Detroit, Los Angeles, New 
York, Miami, Chicago, Boston, 
Philadelphia and Toronto. In pre-
COVID times, it partnered with 
hotel chains and resorts to create 
kid-clubs and professional athletic 
clubs to watch the children of ath-
letes and staff during games. 
While many babysitters come 
to families by way of word of 
mouth, Charlupski said hiring a 
sitter through her company means 
clients are getting someone who 
has had a background check, is 
insured and comes with multiple 
verified references. This is espe-
cially reassuring for travelers who 
need a babysitter when traveling 
away from home, she said.
As parents now grapple with 
balancing work obligations with 
the possibility that their chil-
dren will not be able to return to 
in-person schooling, Charlupski 
said her clients’
 needs are chang-
ing. Her company is screening 
qualified teachers who can teach 
children in small “pods” in private 
homes or tutor virtually for older 
kids who need an extra boost of 
support. 
Additionally, if a client does 
request in-person babysitting, 
Charlupski said her company is 
following strict CDC guidelines 
so her sitters and the families they 
work for are as safe as possible. 
Though the needs for babysit-
ting are shifting, Charlupski 
remains optimistic during a tough 
economy.
“After all, I started this business 
during a recession,” she said. “I’
m 
kind of used to doing things in 
difficult times. Childcare is such a 
sensitive occupation, and we have 
always been excessive and had 
high standards about taking health 
precautions. This is now extended 
to ensuring our sitter, the children 
and all in the household are feel-
ing well. We want to provide the 
safest experience for everyone.” 

For more information on services and rates, 
visit www.thebabysittingcompany.com.

32 | SEPTEMBER 3 • 2020 

Taking 
Care of the 
Kiddos

Metro Detroit native parlays 
babysitting experience into a 
million-dollar business.

STACY GITTLEMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Business

Rachel Charlupski

CONTRIBUTED

