Find The Best Baby Sitter with these top tips

 

You would love a night out to go on a couples date with your spouse or run some errands child free or just get some work done. You want to find a babysitter to love your children like you do but you don’t know where to start!

If you are like me, you may not have the support that you need to watch your children. Your family members are too ill to take care of your children, too far away or can’t be a support to you and your family. You may not have the same network as other people who can just bring their children to a family member’s house. That does not mean that you should never go out or pursue something without your children. Don’t worry, you deserve time off too and you can burn yourself out by not taking a few hours for yourself every so often, even if it is to run errands.

Finding the best baby sitter doesn’t have to be stressful but you do have to do some homework first. Our children are our most precious commodity and we want them to be well cared for while we are gone. Here are some of our top tips to finding the best baby sitter:

Interviews- What to ask for, what to look for

This babysitter will not just be a once in a lifetime thing, having a baby sitter that you trust is key. This baby sitter can grow with your family and your children will know the babysitter and be able to feel comfortable with them being their minder.

Interviewing a potential baby sitter can be broken down into three simple tasks:

Background check

Making sure your babysitter does not have a criminal history is key. Any babysitter will be happy so share this information. Make sure the background check is taken from a local police station and is up to date.

Pro Tip:

Make sure to do phone interviews first and ask the basics. It helps you weed out the completely unqualified candidates quickly without inviting them into your home. Your time is precious already so be sure to ask during the phone interview for your potential babysitter to bring their criminal background check and references to the physical interview.

CPR training- make sure your baby sitter is certified and up to date

Nobody wants to think that their child will ever have an emergency situation. However, it is better to be prepared that not. You want to make sure in case of an emergency your baby sitter can act fast. Are they CPR certified? Have they had an emergency situation and how have they acted? Having a CPR trained babysitter can put a parent’s mind at ease in case of an emergency. Make sure that your babysitter’s certification is official and up to date. There are new skill sets for life saving techniques coming out all of the time and you want to make sure your baby sitter is on top of it while awaiting for paramedics to arrive.

How they interact with your children

Have they had experience with your children’s age ranges? Playing with a ten year old is a lot different than babysitting a newborn. Schedule a trial run where the kids get to meet their potential babysitter, after the previous two needs are met. This way, you can see how the children like their babysitter and how the babysitter handles your children. After the babysitter has left, give your children a couple of hours and then ask the older ones what they thought. Your children’s opinions should be taken into consideration, especially if they are five an older and can communicate well.

Be sure to ask questions that do not require a “yes” or “no” answer. Give examples and see how your babysitter will answer the question.

References – Great references go a long way!

Where has your babysitter worked before? Don’t be afraid to treat finding a babysitter like a job interview. This is about protecting your most precious commodity, your children. A little bit of research goes a long way. Ask about previous clients the baby sitter may have had. Take references and make those calls.

Use an agency– Use a reputable agency to help you find the perfect babysitter. This is great for families that are new to an area and don’t really know anyone to potentially babysit their children. A good agency screens their potential babysitters and sets you up with a caring, reliable babysitter that can suit your child’s needs.

Discuss payment- not too expensive and not to cheap

You don’t want a babysitter who gives you a deal that is too good to be true. Though your wallet will appreciate it, you want to pay a babysitter a good wage for watching your children. Discuss cost and see what is normal in your area on a per hour rate. You can find out the going rate in your area by checking with a parent Facebook page and asking. Rates vary depending on what area you are living in.  Other parents will tell you what they have paid a babysitter and you might get a couple of good recommendations and references of a great baby sitter that you can look into! Facebook pages are a great way for you to get to know a community if you just moved into an area and also get some great advice and tips from local parents on who the best baby sitter in your area is.

A great babysitter does not have to be impossible to find

Finding the perfect babysitter can be a great asset for your family. Whether you are looking to have a date night, run some errands or just get some “me” time every so often, a baby sitter is a great asset for you and your family.

You deserve a break every so often, even if that break means working away from the home! Finding a great babysitter does not have to be a hard task if you follow these simple tips and do some extra homework!