How to Hire a Good Sitter

A good babysitteris an invaluable asset to any busy family with young children.  There will be times when grandparents and other relatives will just not be able to help you out. These are the times you will need to hire a babysitter.Before choosing a babysitter, there are many factors to take into consideration. This will serve as a short guide with some tips to help you hire the best sitter for your family.

Think Ahead

Even if you don’t need a babysitter right this moment, chances are you will soon. Don’t wait until the night before to find someone. Start your search by typing in your area to connect with local sitters today.

Check References Your sitter should be able to provide recent references you can call. If they have done a great job in the past, there is no reason they would not have families vouching for their services. Make sure to follow up on these references before hiring your sitter.

Have a Backup Plan
Its a good idea to have more than one babysitter that you can call. Try to establish a relationship with someone you can call when your regular sitter is not available.

Observe

Invite the prospective babysitter to come meet your child while you are there and then step back and observe. Pay attention to how they interact with your child, and your overall gut instinct. If you don’t feel 100% comfortable leaving your child with this person, then it probably isn’t the right fit.

While you are observing, there are some things to consider:

Once you have made your choice as to who you will hire as your babysitter, there are a still a few more things you want to do to make sure things run smoothly.

Familiarize the Sitter You should go over house rules and probably take the babysitter on a tour of the house pointing out where important items are located.

List Important Information

This includes your cell phone and/or the location of your outing and any emergency numbers. You should also list any allergies and medication instructions.

Finally, you’ll want to talk with your child as soon as possible after your return. Ask your child about the experience and their overall feeling with the sitter. Assuming all goes well, you will have a special person you can rely on to take good care of your child!