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Find Me a Great Baby Sitter, Please!
Well, it all went very well, as it often does. That time our baby sitter was a very dear friend, and we were completely comfortable with her intentions and abilities. However, that's not always how things are. If you don't have family in the right age close by, it can be really hard to know who to leave your baby to. Below you'll find some useful tips to help you find the right baby sitter for your little one.
Baby Sitter Checklist
Well, if grandma is available, loved by your baby and in great shape, stop reading! If you need someone more than (or instead of) grandma, read on... The hardest part is probably the actual finding of the baby sitter. Some people are a little nervous to check newspaper ads for baby sitters, although you can find some excellent sitters there. If you're afraid of getting a thief, dangerous person, or just plain old freak, skip the classifieds. Ask other parents you know for a referral. This is a great way to find a babysitter, because you know that the sitter has been used by your friends, and was good enough for them to refer. Check the community boards in your neighborhood, or at your church. If you find a sitter here, chances are other families have utilized the services of this one, and you can get opinions on the sitter's work. Another option that is safer than just ads is to use a baby sitter agency. These days there are some really good sitter services online, such as Sittercity (US only, although they have expansion plans). Using agency services like this one means that you not only get access to a really wide selection of sitters (150,000!), you will also be able to read other parents' reviews of a particular sitter before hiring. You can also do background check for a comparatively very low amount of money. If you're the nervous type (like I am...) both these sources (parents and background checks) are invaluable! If you don't have the money or if you feel that you are pretty comfortable with doing the screening of a new sitter yourself, a great option is to join an online parent-sitter network, such as phoneababysitter.com (US and Canada). Much cheaper (actually free to join) than Sittercity, but of course you also get less. It's really a matter of your own preferences.
Call the potential sitter for an interview first. Have the sitter come to your home, and you can have a relaxed conversation with her (or him). You want to see how she carries herself, and how she reacts to your questions. If she has a serious twitch, or mumbles football game scores under her breath, you should probably not use her. You should ask for referrals, and check them. This is one thing that a lot of people skip. Don't. It's important to get feedback from people that have used the baby sitter before. If you're still nervous, with the sitter's permission, you can do a background check. You can do this online, and you will need the baby sitter's social security number. You should also ask him or her to sign a statement authorizing you to do a background check.
Next, bring your child in to meet the sitter. Even if your child is too young to speak, see how the sitter acts with your child, and vice versa. Does your baby cry, whine, or act different than normal? Does your baby giggle, coo, and fall in love right away? Believe it or not, your baby may be the best judge of character. Well fair enough, if your baby is 9 months old and suffers from strong stranger anxiety, you probably should not hold that against the poor sitter. Give the two of them some time to get to know each other, and then watch your baby's reactions. Another thing you might want to do is have the sitter over for a few days while you're home, so you can give her an idea of routines, special directions, or just let her and your child get to know each other.
Successful babysitting when the time comes You want to make sure that your baby sitter understands the house rules. Do you want her friends coming over while she's taking care of your child? What about rules for computers, televisions, etc? You don't want to open your cable bill next month and owe $5,376.93 for pay per view movies. Also, when time has come to leave your child, make sure that the sitter has emergency numbers, the number to where you will be, and your child's doctor's number. It's a good idea to show her where you keep your first aid kit, the child's medicines, and anything else that is of importance. A baby sitter with CPR or emergency training is a big plus. Another part to go through is how your baby likes to be taken care of. What is the best way to comfort him when he is sad, how will he best fall asleep? What foods does he like and dislike? Any allergies? What are his routines? His favorite games to play, toys to play with etc. Does he sign or talk and how should the sitter interpret his signs or words? Help your new sitter all you can to have a good time together with your baby. Rules for how to discipline your baby (if at all depending on age) are also very important. Following these tips will help you find the right sitter for your child. Keep in mind that safety is the number one issue. Check for references, watch her closely when she comes for that first visit with your child, and use your gut instinct. If you do these things, finding a sitter should be simple.
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