Babysitters

Most parents will find a need for a babysitter at one time or another. Finding an in-home child care provider who is reliable and responsible can be difficult. Here are things to think about when choosing a babysitter to care for your children occasionally.

The best way to find a reliable sitter is to network with other parents in your area. Ask friends and neighbors if they can recommend a sitter. Is there a teen in your neighborhood who might be interested in babysitting work? You can also post a notice to find a sitter in the local supermarket, library, and your local church or youth center. If you have a college in your area you have a great source for finding babysitters. Call the student support office of the college and ask them about finding sitters.

Before you hire a sitter, speak to her over the phone to obtain important information. A babysitter should be able to provide you with at least two references. Take the time to call these references to check on the perspective sitter. Ask them if she is reliable, responsible, if the children enjoy being with her, and if they have encountered any problems with her. Look for a sitter who has taken an infant and child CPR course. Find out if the perspective sitter will need transportation. This is particularly important to single parents who might have to bundle sleeping children into the car to take a sitter home. Ask if the sitter smokes and make it clear if there is no smoking in your home. Discuss and agree upon a fee for services at this time.

Before hiring a perspective sitter, ask her to come to your home for a short visit to meet the family and discuss rules and routines. Make sure you pay the perspective sitter for this time. Use the time to familiarize the sitter with your children, your home, and your general rules and routines. Don’t expect the sitter to remember everything you tell her during this time. Once she has been hired, much of the information should be left for her in writing. Allow the perspective sitter to interact with and play with the children while you are in ear shot. You will be able to tell if this person is the right match. Trust your instincts as a parent and talk to the children after the perspective sitter has left.

Once you have chosen and hired a sitter, make a booklet of important information before you leave her with the children for the first time. There’s nothing more helpful for a sitter than written instructions. Make sure household rules and expectations are written down. This way the children will be less likely to question the new sitter’s authority when they know the directives have come straight from you. Bedtimes, chores, food allowances, rules about playing outside, etc. should all be in writing for the sitter’s reference. If the sitter will be preparing a meal, make sure you have it planned with any special instructions written down. If you have rules you would like the sitter to follow, put them in writing and review them with the sitter. These rules might include no smoking, no guests, and no unnecessary or long phone calls.

The first rule of every household should always be ‘safety first’. Make sure your sitter understands that her primary job is to make sure the children are safe. To make this as easy as possible for the sitter, go over any health issues your children may have. Is anyone on medication? Does anyone have allergies or asthma? Make sure you leave important numbers in a prominent place and go over them before you leave. Include the numbers for:

• police
• fire department
• emergency
• poison control center
• the children’s pediatrician
• a trustworthy neighbor or nearby relative
• your cell phone or beeper number

Even if you have a cell phone, leave information about where you will be while away and the phone numbers for each location. Every family should have a family escape plan in case of an emergency. Make sure the babysitter is aware of such a plan as well. Make sure all smoke detectors and carbon monoxide monitors have working batteries before leaving your home.

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