The short answer
Write it down once, keep it where your sitter can reach it all night, and show only what tonight needs.
- Routines and meals
- Allergies and medications
- Pets
- The house
- Who to call
- House rules
“Could you come 30 minutes early, so I can walk you through everything?” Then you're out the door — and half of it is gone.
That's not your sitter's fault. It's impossible to expect anyone to remember every detail of a spoken tour — bedtimes, allergies, the dog's walk, the Wi-Fi password. Keep the tour for the hellos and the questions, and leave the details behind in writing. On REC'D BY, that's the care timeline: the reference your sitter can come back to all evening.
What to include
- Routines and meals
- Dinner, bath, bedtime, and the little things that make them work — the song, the nightlight, the one more glass of water.
- Allergies and medications
- What to avoid, what to give and when, and what to do if something goes wrong. Put this where it can't be missed.
- Pets
- Feeding, walks, and the quirks — the cat who slips out, the dog who can't have people food.
- The house
- Address, door code, Wi-Fi, where the flashlight and first-aid kit are, and which doors stay locked.
- Who to call
- How to reach you, a backup who's close by, and your pediatrician or vet.
- House rules
- Screens, snacks, visitors, and anything that's off-limits.
Make it something your sitter can actually use
- 1
Write it once
Keep one set of instructions and update it when things change, instead of rewriting a note for every sitter.
- 2
Put it on their phone
A note on the fridge gets missed, and it's no help at the park. Your sitter's phone is with them all night.
- 3
Show only tonight
If one kid is at a sleepover and the dog is at Grandma's, leave them out. Less to read means less to miss.
- 4
Keep the overlap short
A few minutes together still helps — for introductions and questions, not for memorizing. The details are already written down.
How REC'D BY helps
How REC'D BY does it
Add your kids, pets, and places once — routines, allergies, medications, the door code, the Wi-Fi. When you book, your sitter gets the details for that booking, and a care timeline built from your kids' and pets' routines, right on their phone — in the REC'D BY app, or through a private link that's theirs alone and works only around the booking.
The details open when the booking starts and close after it ends. Prefer paper? Print it or save it as a PDF from the booking. And your sitter can send you updates during the evening, so you're not left wondering.
Tonight · Saturday
7:00 – 11:00 PM
Kids
Emma · age 6
Dinner 6:00 · bed 8:00 · peanut allergy
Liam · age 3
Bed 7:30 · no dairy
Pets
Biscuit
Dog · walk 7:00, potty before bed
Location
- Address
- 14 Maple Street
- Door code
- 4-7-2-2
- Wi-Fi
- MorganHome
- Reach us
- (555) 012-3456
- 1The app is optional Or a private link, just for your sitter, open only around the booking.
- 2Everything for tonight Bedtimes, allergies, the dog's walk.
- 3Here when it matters Opens at start time, closes after.
Questions
Does my sitter need the app to see the details?+
The app is optional. Your sitter can also open a private link that's just for them and works only around the booking.
Can the sitter see our door code any time?+
No. The day-of details — like the door code and Wi-Fi — open when the booking starts and close after it ends.
Is this part of the free plan?+
Day-of care details are part of the membership. Adding your kids, pets, and places is free.
Write it once. Share it every time.
See the sitters your friends recommend — free to join.
Get REC'D BY