How to Find Right Child Care

Returning to work and leaving your baby with a sitter can be extremely stressful. Finding a child care solution that you are confident with can seem to be an overwhelming task. Leaving your baby with a stranger will not be easy. You may ask yourself if the sitter will be responsible and attentive to your baby. Doing everything you can to assure that your baby is left in the best possible hands will help to ease your worry and anxiety. Below are questions to ask a potential sitter and yourself when searching for child care.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Ask a prospective sitter why she wants the job. Ask how she plans on spending the day with your baby.

2. Ask how she plans to discipline your child. It is very important that you and your child care worker have the same philosophy on punishment, reinforcement and correction.

3. Ask if she has a driver's license and vehicle. This is necessary if you want your child care worker to take your baby to the doctor, appointments, play dates, etc. Also be sure to ask about her driving record. Make sure that her car is safe for you baby and that she has access to a car seat.

4. Ask if she would be willing to do light house work. If you can find someone who is willing to clean, do some laundry, cook, or go grocery shopping, you will have more time to spend with your baby when you are home. You may have to pay a child care worker extra to do these tasks.

5. Ask about her health. Ask a prospective employee for a complete physical exam and negative TB test. Make it clear that she is not to smoke around your baby.

6. Ask if she has recently taken an infant CPR class. If not, ask if she would be willing to do so.

7. Ask yourself if the potential sitter was neatly dressed and well groomed. Dirty clothes, unwashed hair or general disarray are all negative signs.

8. Ask yourself if she is organized. A sense of order is important, especially if you expect a sitter to keep your home neat during the day. It is also important if one of her expected duties is to take your baby to various appointments.

9. Ask if she seems reliable. If she was late for the interview, this is a very negative sign. Lateness may be an everyday occurrence. If you really like the applicant, in spite of her lateness, ask previous employers about this.

10. Ask yourself if she seems physically able to do the job. Can she pick up and carry your child? Will she be able to get down on the floor and play or run around outside or at the park with your baby?

11. Ask yourself if she seems good with children. Have her spend some time with your baby. Does she seem caring and patient? Is she attentive to his needs?

12. Ask yourself if you have a good feeling about her. Are you comfortable around her? Did you have a good rapport with her during the interview?

Tips & Warnings

• Ask your baby's doctor for recommendations for nannies, or check the office bulletin board. You may also want to consider putting up your own notice on the bulletin board.
• Ask other parents. Neighbors or co-workers are useful sources for child care recommendations.
• Look to your community center or local library. Again, either look at the bulletin board at these places or post an ad of your own. If you belong to a church, you can also ask fellow church members or your clergyman.
• Finding the right person to care for your baby can be a time consuming process. Leave yourself at least two months for the search.
• Always check a potential nanny or sitter's references.
• Before you begin to interview potential child care providers, have a list of questions and concerns that you want to address with each candidate.
• If you are looking for an in-home child care provider that will also do light housework, be sure to include that in the job decription and discuss it with applicants.
• If your baby is under 6 months old, she will typically adjust quickly to a nanny or baby sitter.
• Ask a teacher. If you know of any teachers of preschool age children, it is likely that he or she knows experienced sitters and nannies. A teacher may even babysit herself when she is not teaching.
• Check into nanny agencies. Trained and licensed child care workers can be found through agencies. Finding a nanny or sitter this way may alleviate much of the guess work of finding a qualified child care worker.
• Look in your newspaper. Check your local paper and parenting publications for ads for child care providers. Again, consider running an ad yourself.
• A nanny or child care worker found through an agency will probably be rather expensive.
• Never settle for a child care provider. If you do not find a suitable candidate in the first round of interviews, begin the process again.

Resources

• Key Questions to Ask a Potential Babysitter
• Find a Nanny