Näpp - International babysitters for international families

Welcome to Näpp!
Näpp – International babysitters for international families

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About Näpp

We are Näpp.

We want to…

… connect international families with international babysitters – to match babysitters and kids whose origins are rooted in the same culture and language.

… build a community of multicultural families with the same goal: to raise children who speak their mother tongue fluently,
next to additional languages.

… support happy, confident children, who know where they come from, but who are also able to connect to the culture and language of the country they live in.

How will Näpp work?

Sign up, fill in the language(s) and skills (driver’s licence, first aid, etc) you prefer the babysitter to have, and let us offer you the babysitters that fit your wishes best. You pick the babysitter based on the babysitter’s ratings, experience, and personal introduction video.
Once you chose your babysitter, you contact her or him through our platform, agree on the terms and set up a face to face introduction. Your child is able to contact the babysitter and suggest what he or she would like to do when the babysitter comes.

After the babysitter has taken care of your child, you review the babysitter’s performance and your child will provide feedback on the activities they have done. In return, the babysitter will review your family as a workplace.

The story of Näpp

When I was 13 I got my first summer job ever as a babysitter in a family with two kids. Since that summer I have always chosen to be with kids whenever there is a chance for that. I tell you, if the room is full of people, adults, and children, you will find me sitting on the floor and playing with the kids.

In 2016 I moved to the Netherlands to study and I wanted to find a part-time job as a babysitter. I was lucky to find a family who wanted to have a Finnish speaking babysitter for their Finnish-Dutch baby. I felt so privileged to speak my mother tongue to the baby and guide her on the path of learning two languages. Also, the support I got from the family in settling down in the Netherlands was valuable, it was so comfortable to relate to another Finnish while adapting to the new culture.

Quite fast I noticed that there is a big group of international students who would like to find a job as a babysitter and that there are also many international families,

who are looking for a babysitter who speaks another language than Dutch.

I met these families at the playgrounds in Utrecht, and on some point, I started to connect them with my own international friends.

That was the first time I got the idea of Näpp. I realized that there should be an easier and faster way to connect these families with the right babysitters. A way to connect the language and culture, in order to help the children to feel more connected to their countries of origin.

As I am someone who truly cares about children, that is also my point of view with Näpp. Everything I do or create to the platform has been done because of the children. That is the reason why kids will have their own communication tool, and why they are allowed to “review” their babysitters. The most important thing is to support these kids to grow up to be happy.

This is me. Loviisa Vähävuori, founder of Näpp

Testimonials

What Näpp-mothers say about me and Näpp

Jessi

The first match Loviisa ever made

“We moved to Utrecht from Berlin in late summer of 2017. In my first week in the Netherlands, I was exploring the neighborhood with my little son Jim, who was 1 ½ year then.

We found a super nice playground very near to our house and that is where I met Loviisa. She was playing with a girl same age as my son in a very warm, understanding and fun way, which made me think immediately that I want “somebody like her” as a babysitter for our son.
After a while we made contact and she told me that she is studying in Utrecht and has been a nanny for the little girl already since the girl was a baby, which made their connection so special and close.

After telling her that we are looking for a babysitter for our son, she gave me the contact of a close friend with a lot of babysitting experience that even speaks German. I couldn’t believe my luck.

This is now one year ago and our son loves his babysitter. I would always recommend Loviisa and her agency for anybody looking for a babysitter. The fact, that our babysitter speaks German and helps to expose our son to the German language after going to Dutch daycare is a plus and the perfect match for us.”

Satu

Finnish mom who hired Loviisa when she moved to the Netherlands

“We have had a Finnish babysitter, Loviisa since our daughter was 9 months old. Loviisa has always had free will to decide the schedule of their days, as long as sleeping and eating rhythm doesn’t suffer. She has taken our child to different cafeterias, playgrounds, city, and museums that are suitable for children.

She has a strong connection with our toddler and they have completely “own thing” going on. They learn how to do somersaults, make braids, go eat bagels together, listen to Finnish pop songs, and entertain themselves with Snapchat filters. All this in Finnish, of course.

Hiring a Finnish babysitter has been one of our best decisions. Now almost three-year-old toddler understands Finnish, and speaks it when necessary, even though Dutch is her main language. I am sure, that our investment is good, not only at this moment but also for the long run.

It is nice to have a person around who know who are Moomins, who understands the importance of woolen socks, and Christmas Eve, and helmet while biking. Someone who appreciates Finnish traditions and wants to share them with our child.
While living in a foreign country you run into cultural differences so often, that it is relieving to not always have to explain yourself.”

Contact information:

Näpp
Padualaan 8
3584 CH Utrecht

KVK Chamber of Commerce: 72772395
BANK: NL53 BUNQ 2207 7591 72

We would like to thank our partners who helped us starting and building Näpp

Welcome to Näpp!