Guest Post - Finding the Right Babysitter for your Family

Today I am lucky enough to have a guest post on finding the right babysitter for your family...something I might soon be needing!

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There comes a time when you have a function or even a date with your spouse that requires that your little ones stay at home with a babysitter. Leaving your children in someone else’s care isn’t always easy but you can’t avoid it.

Finding the right babysitter is very important not going for your peace of mind but for your children. Here are some tips when it comes to finding the right care taker:

Your needs: Before you start your search to find a sitter, discuss with your family what your needs and wants are with having a babysitter. Discuss the basics like, how long you would need them to watch your child, the cost, and then other important issues like the babysitters age, background and what he/she can provide for your family. Write them out as if you are going to make a job post online; this will help you really focus on the needs and wants.

Where to find: There are plenty of ways you can find a babysitter, but the most effective would be in a
recommendation form or word of mouth. Speak with your friends and neighbors about their babysitter
recommendations. Chances are if your friend loves her babysitter, you will love the sitter too. You can try
neighborhood posts or online websites but be sure that you do a thorough background check before allowing them in your home with your child.

Interview: Once you have picked a babysitter, invite them over when the children are home for an interview. You want to make sure that you ask all the right questions before you introduce the children. Some questions to consider asking:

How long have you been babysitting?
What references do you have?
Are you certified in first aid and CPR?
How do you discipline children?
What kind of activities would you do with the children?
Are comfortable making dinner and snacks when needed?

Trial run: A great way to find out if the babysitter will work well with your family, have a trial run. Pick a Saturday that you need to run an errand or two and stay close to your home. Have the babysitter come over for an hour or two to watch the kids. Talk to the babysitter and feel them out to see how they felt. Then talk to you kids and see how well they responded to the babysitter.

Extra tips: Some babysitters are hard to book on a Saturday night; especially if they are good babysitters so it’s wise always have a second babysitter on standby. As soon as you find out that you need a babysitter, call them immediately.

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Author Byline:

Ken Myers as an Expert Advisor on multiple household help issues to many Organizations and groups, and is a mentor for other “Mom-preneurs” seeking guidance. He is a regular contributor at Go Nannies. You can get in touch with him at k.meyerst20@gmail.com.