How to Trust a Babysitter

Parents often face a difficult challenge when having to choose a babysitter. Trusting someone other than family with your child is one of the most emotionally straining parts of parenthood. While some people only need to have a babysitter occasionally, others need to put their trust in a babysitter when they are at work every day. Follow these steps to learn how to trust a babysitter.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Find a babysitter through referrals. If your best friend uses a babysitter and speaks very highly of her, then set up a meeting to meet the babysitter. If you know someone who trusts a babysitter, this should put you at ease a bit.

2. Interview a handful of babysitters who respond to your ad in the paper. Choose only a handful or less who have experience with children, are CPR and First Aid trained, and who have references.

3. Ask morality questions to the babysitter when you interview her. Ask questions such as, 'What are your views on disciplining a child?' Find out her philosophy on spanking and child abuse.

4. Call every reference of the babysitter who you want to hire. Be sure to ask the references if they trusted the babysitter with their children and ask what kinds of things she did with the children.

5. Buy a nanny cam. Inform the babysitter that you have a nanny cam installed and if she seems worried about this, then your gut will tell you not to trust her. If she seems very relaxed and you like everything about her, give her a trial babysitting session and this will really help you trust the babysitter.

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