Biz Bits: Business that places nannies and babysitters with families expands to the Palouse

Parents on the Palouse can be matched with nannies and babysitters at an online business that recently expanded into the area.

Kiddie Up Nannies has been operating for 14 years and was in the Denver and Helena, Mont., areas before it added the Palouse, said Mary Larson, an owner of the business and third-generation Clarkston High School graduate.

The business has 50 nannies available to accept placements on the Palouse, including many of whom are students at the University of Idaho or Washington State University, said Larson, who lives in the Helena area.

Part of how she knew of the potential of the Palouse for Kiddie Up Nannies is because she was raised in Asotin County. Her parents are Dan Hally, a former captain at the Asotin County Sheriff’s Department, and Lorri Hally, a retired teacher at the Clarkston School District Equal Opportunity Center.

The nannies can be hired through kiddieupnannies.com to work in a variety of situations. Some are placed with families where both parents work full time. Others watch children during date nights. Some organize activities for children at gatherings such as corporate events so that parents are free to socialize with adults.

Kiddie Up Nannies also connects customers with people who pet sit, run errands or do housekeeping, Larson said.

Her business screens all applicants through processes such as completing background checks, doing Zoom interviews and reviewing their social media posts, she said.

The mother of a son who is 2½ years old, Larson said, she only selects people who she would hire to care for her own son and be in her home.

Nannies pay nothing for placements and can earn bonuses like Starbucks gift cards for things like receiving excellent reviews on social media.

Kiddie Up Nannies only places individuals in safe environments, she said.

Families pay Kiddie Up Nannies placement fees that vary depending on the assignment, and Kiddie Up Nannies has minimum wages for its nannies. They start at $18 per hour for a short-time assignment for one child.

The work Larson is doing at Kiddie Up Nannies brings together skills from a number of jobs she has held over the years. She worked as a nanny and operated two nanny agencies for a combined 4½ years.

In addition to having an ownership stake in Kiddie Up Nannies, Larson handles customer service for a company that has software that help businesses that place nannies, substitute teachers and medical professionals.