Hiring a good babysitter is a daunting task. A child is the light of a parent’s life. Parents plan every minute of activity, meals, education, entertainment, TV watching and more. When you need a break, who do you call? Not all of us are fortunate to have family living nearby who can help. Finding temporary childcare is always a challenge.
Hiring a babysitter take care of your children is always a process. Entrusting your child to a stranger is less than ideal. Here are some tips to keep in mind when you’re looking to hire a babysitter.
Where to find a Babysitter
Often, babysitters are found through personal recommendations and word of mouth. Asking around and getting the opinion from people you trust can help you build contacts to find a pool of candidates. Even if your contacts do not have children, they can put you in touch with a responsible family member or neighbor. Other ways of finding a babysitter can be via websites, apps, and babysitting agencies.
Conduct a Detailed Interview
After vetting the candidates, screening them by doing a background check and conducting an interview is essential to knowing the person. Knowing their qualifications, hourly rates, previous experiences, as well as their availability, helps you make the right choice. Be sure to contact their references to confirm their reliability and previous experience.
Observe Interaction with Child
Ensure the babysitter gets a chance to interact with your child before you hire them. See how well they get along with your child, how responsive they are, whether their skills are enough to take care of your child and if their babysitting style aligns well with your parenting skills and the child’s behavior. The child should get a chance to know them well. Depending on the age of your child, you can ask them for feedback or consider their signs (whether they cry or are anxious). Behaviour is always a good way to judge if the sitter is a good fit. (McClure, 2020)
Communicate Well
Once you’ve selected a candidate, build a channel of open communication with to avoid misunderstandings or mistakes. All restrictions, emergency contacts, vital information like allergies as well as simple information like storage of groceries should be clearly communicated. The babysitter should be able to approach you in the case there are issues and voice their opinions for the benefit of the child. (Scaccia, 2012) The requirements of the job along with any other specifications should be clarified too.
Give Feedback for Improvement
After you hire a babysitter, the job is not done. It is necessary to give helpful feedback to build confidence and trust. Review lists, instructions and details each time so nothing is left to chance. Identifying problems and addressing them promptly can create positive change and a long-term relationship with a trusted caregiver.
Here is a helpful downloadable you can use to keep important information documented for your sitter. They will appreciate the thoughtfulness!
Work Cited
McClure, Robin. “How to Find a Trustworthy and Reliable Babysitter.” Verywell Family, 2 Dec. 2020, www.verywellfamily.com/finding-child-care-how-to-choose-a-babysitter-616521
Renee Irving Lee, B.Ed., and Matthew Taylor. “The Best Ways to Hire a Babysitter (The Complete Guide).” Kidsit Babysitting Tips, Kidsit, 19 Jan. 2020, https://kidsit.com/ways-to-hire-a-babysitter#:~:text=What%20are%20the%20best%20ways,post%20a%20job%20ad%20online
Scaccia, Annamarya. “How to Be a Good Babysitter: 11 Tips.” Healthline, 12 July 2016, www.healthline.com/health/parenting/how-to-be-a-good-babysitter
