Cari Allison would rather start her own business than deal with finding another baby sitter.
The Davidsonville mother of two sons, Joshua, 4, and Ryan, 2, had a steady baby sitter, but is losing her because the sitter is moving. Mrs. Allison, who knows the troubles of finding a reliable sitter, decided to make it easier for herself and others by creating a directory called the Baby-Sitting Network.
The publication, which she hopes will come out quarterly, will list about 50 sitters from five areas: Annapolis, Bowie/Crofton, Arnold/Severna Park, Glen Burnie/Pasadena, and Deale/South County.
Starting next month, parents can flip open an 8 1/2 -by-11 issue and read short biographies about baby sitters in their area.
The directory, which Mrs. Allison believes is the first of its kind in the county, compiles information such as experience, rates and availability of various baby sitters.
To be listed, a sitter must fill out a four-page application and submit two references. The Baby-Sitting Network lists the sitter only after the references have been verified.
The 31-year-old mother came up with the idea of a Baby-Sitting Network when she moved to Coral Springs, Fla., two years ago and had a hard time finding someone to watch the children. "I kept thinking to myself, 'There's got to be way to get a sitter,' " said Mrs. Allison.
When she moved back to Maryland last year, she found a baby sitter she trusted.
With that baby sitter planning to move, Mrs. Allison decided to leave her part-time job doing the billing in a doctor's office to start the Baby-Sitting Network.
Now she works out of her family room, typing applications into her computer, checking references and signing up subscribers.
She has advertised in local papers for sitters to apply to be part of the directory.
So far she has mailed out 250 of the four-page applications. The sitters are listed free in the directory, but must be at least 13 years old.
"I even have 12-year-olds calling, but I tell them to call later," Mrs. Allison said.
She also has 110 subscribers, most of them coming from Annapolis, Glen Burnie and Pasadena.
"It's kind of a transient area," said Mrs. Allison of the county and its surrounding area. "It's sort of hard to decide who to trust your kids with. They're the most valuable things to you."
Carolyn Billings subscribed to the network after spending more than $60 advertising in local newspapers for someone to watch her children.
"I've been looking for a baby sitter since July," said Ms. Billings, who has two daughters, a 4-year-old and an 8-month-old.
Tracy Weeks, a nanny in Annapolis, said the directory is "a good way to get my name out."
Ms. Weeks, 24, is majoring in special education at the Anne Arundel Community College and wants to work with children with disabilities.
Sara Stoner, 14, has a much simpler reason for putting her name into the Baby-Sitting Network. She wants to save up for a car.
"Around where I live, there aren't that many kids to baby sit," she said. "So this will help me make more money."
The Davidsonville teen-ager has had four years of experience and has taken a first aid course.
She keeps in practice by watching over her twin brother and sister, who are 6.
The Baby-Sitting Network is Mrs. Allison's second business. She sold fitted cotton diapers during the time she stayed home to raise her children.
For more information, subscribers and sitters can call the Baby-Sitting Network's 24-hour answering line, 410-956-0963.