Tips for finding a good Babysitter
It’s never easy having to leave your baby in the care of somebody else. But it is a matter of necessity that you do so at times. In such a case, the babysitter comes to your rescue. But before you leave your baby with a sitter, take the time out to thoroughly review the person and make an intelligent choice. Here is how you can go about it.
When you are searching for a babysitter, make sure that you do so with an ample amount of time to spare. Do not leave such an important task for the last minute. Decide for yourself on the age of the sitter that you would be comfortable with. Whether you would like a man or woman would be another thing to consider. Their minimum cut-off experience and how much you would need them in a week.
You can scout for potential sitters, by asking your friends for recommendations, advertising in the local papers, and even searching online for certified babysitter services. When you approach such a service make sure that they offer some sort of insurance for possible damages to your property and that they have stringent rules regarding background checks and qualifications for each of the sitters they hire out.
If you are scouting for a sitter on your own, then there are certain things you will have to keep in mind once you have settled on some potential sitters. Talk to each one on the phone and call only those whom you feel fit the bill for a face-to-face interview. Observation is the key. Look at how they present themselves and allow them to interact with your child. See how your child responds to the potential sitter. Assess your level of comfort with the sitter before you narrow down your list further.
Once you have a smaller list, conduct background checks and call each of the references they have provided you personally. Talk to each one on their level of satisfaction with the sitter and the amount of trust they developed over a period of time with the babysitter. Find out from each place, why the sitter may have stopped working for them if applicable.
Once you have settled on a babysitter, invite them over for a final chat. Discuss the pay that you are comfortable with. Explain the frequency and duration that you would need them and if the possibilities of any overnight stay if necessary. Clear on the outset all the duties you would like them to perform. Leave your child with the sitter for short durations to begin with to help your child deal with separation anxiety.
Maintain a good relationship with your sitter and allow them a leeway when it comes to days off or even chores once in a while.
