Hiring a Reliable Babysitter!

Most parents will agree that finding a reliable babysitter is a daunting and frustrating task. There are so many horror stories floating around in the media that can make searching for a babysitter a frightening experience. Compounding the fact that it is challenging to trust a stranger with your most precious possessions – your children.

Given the gravity of the situation, it’s extremely important that you pay close attention to how the babysitter interacts with you and your children and how your children respond as well.

There are a lot of factors to consider when hiring a babysitter but of top priority is safety, how your children will be treated and how your children feel about the sitter. Children are very intuitive.  You can glean much from simply observing how the sitter and your children interact.

As you search for a suitable babysitter you will want to employ a few steps to insure you have found a good match for your children.

1. Interview candidates asking for their experience with children, and if possible, get references.

2. Plan a time for sitters whom you are considering to come for a visit prior to actually leaving your children.

3. Observe closely how the interaction goes between the sitter and your children. Babysitters should be gentle but in control and you should be able to determine how well your child will listen to the sitter while you are gone. Often children listen to other adults better than their parents so this may be a little hard to gauge but follow your gut.

4.  While you are searching for a candidate don’t discount male babysitters. Often teenage boys who have young siblings - and therefore have experience with youngsters – will enjoy an opportunity to earn some extra spending money as well. Considering hiring a male babysitters can expand your pool of potential babysitter opportunities and you may find a sitter whom your children really enjoy

Regarding safety while a sitter is in your home, here are a few important things to consider.

1. Clear instructions:You’ll want to be sure that the sitter listens to you and is able to follow specific instructions you’ve given. Be sure to give the sitter a tour of your home making sure they know where first aid supplies are located, any allergies your children might have or other things of importance in your situation. In the event of a medical emergency it’s a good idea to have a signed Consent for Medical Treatment form available just in case. 

2.  A babysitter should be trained in first aid and CPR. 

3.  Make sure the sitter has accurate contact information for you, the venue or location where you will be as well as a neighbor or two close by just in case. 

4.  Keep in mind that for babies and younger children, you will want an older babysitter. A babysitter should be at least 13 years old or older. During the interview process, you should be able to decide if your sitter is mature enough to handle an emergency situation. If you will be hiring a babysitter for an overnight shift, it’s recommendedan adult is hired. 

5.  The sitter should also be clean and observant of good hygiene.

Finally, interviewing your children to see how they feel about the sitter afterwards. If your children are old enough, be sure to ask specific questions about how their time went to get a feel for how the sitter managed things. Additionally, it is a good idea to interview the sitter as well.

With proper due diligence and clear instructions you should be able to find a very qualified babysitter for your children that you will feel most comfortable leaving your children.