Tips on Choosing a Babysitter

Whether you need a baby sitter for the odd occasion or if you need one on a regular basis, there are certain precautions that should be taken before entrusting your child or children in their care. Always trust your better judgment when choosing a baby sitter and write down before hand any questions that come to mind before interviewing possible candidates for the job.

Where can I find a babysitter?

Ask friends who they use and how long the person has been babysitting for them.

Enquire at local colleges, look on notice boards ,quite often students will be looking for work as baby sitters especially if they are taking courses in child care.

Look in your local library for notice boards.

Look in your local newspapers.

Look in the yellow pages for listed agencies that supply baby sitters.

Requirements a baby sitter should have:

Do they have the patience needed to look after a child in difficult circumstances for example if the child is unwell or starts crying?

Are they able to stay calm and know what action to take in an emergency?

Is the baby sitter competent in first aid, would they know what to do if your child was choking or having an asthma attack.

Are they responsible and are they willing to accept responsibility for your child's life?

What chastisement would they give if your child was unruly?

Points to consider when interviewing a potential sitter:

Make sure they understand how many children they would be expected to look after, the children's ages and any special problems relating to your children.

Determine how the sitter will arrive and return home, if you are late returning home then often it is courtesy to take the sitter home or pay for a taxi.

Go over any restrictions such as access to your phone, refrigerator, whether they are allowed to bring a friend into your home and rooms that are out of bounds.

Present a few 'what if' scenarios to see how the sitter would react.

Make your expectations clear of the care you wish for your child.

Ask about the sitters fee.

Ask if the sitter would be flexible and how they would deal with unforeseen events such as you getting held up in traffic.