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Step 1
So you want a night out, but can't seem to find a good, dependable babysitter. You wonder who can you trust your little angels with and how to find him/her. Let's start by knowing where to look for a quality sitter and then we'll talk about what to look for in him/her. Lastly, it is important to continually seek confirmation that your newly hired sitter is still enjoying his/her role and meets your expectations.
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Step 2
The best places and resources to finding a good babysitter are found from family or close friends, local churches, youth groups, high schools, and local colleges and sometimes even the local grocery store. Your first connections are found by calling trusted family or friends and asking them who they trust to babysit their kids. Ask your friends if they are willing to share their sitters numbers with you. Local church groups are also a great place to find sitters. If you are involved in a church, notice who works in the nursery with the children or teaches classes. I have found that even older women (grandma types) are interested in babysitting. Schools also provide great resources for finding sitters. Many high school students have to fill community volunteer hours prior to graduation and would enjoy babysitting to fill those hours. College students who are studying child development or pursuing a teaching degree are also great resources. They want the experience for their resume and let's face it, they need the money! I have even picked up sitters at the grocery store. Pay attention to the friendly bagger or customer service person. Watch how he/she interacts with you and your children when you come through his/her line. If you think he/she may make a good babysitter, just ask, "are you interested in babysitting?" If so, take his/her phone number and call!
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Step 3
Now that you have a list of eligible names, the real work begins. Finding the right babysitter for your children is most important. Call each one and talk to them about their experience, their comfort with children of the age(s) of your kids, what they charge, their availability, their recent work experiences, their own family etc. I always ask a question such as "what time does your parents like you home when you babysit?" This allows you to get a feeling of how well her relationship is with her family by her response about her family. Also, you want to get the feeling that they truly are interested in kids and really want the "job". You want them to want to come back, so they are going to make sure they do a good job with your babies. Explain what you expect from them (house cleaning, bathing, cooking etc) and discuss payment. When you agree on responsibilities and payment and you have narrowed your search down to a few good choices, ask for and check their references. Prior to you leaving your children home alone with a new sitter, ask them to babysit while you work around the house. This allows you to see how the sitter interact with your children and how your children respond to the sitter.
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Step 4
Once you have hired a new babysitter, follow up with the children to see how it is going. Ask questions about what they do when you are gone, what he/she does while you are away? Another good resource is to check out their Myspace or Face Book postings if they are public. This allows you to see who they really are! Don't be afraid to ask questions, remember you are acting as his/her employer. If your kids don't like your sitter, that's a huge red flag and keep in mind, your children are much more important than a night away!
Comments
graciegirl11 said
on 8/19/2009 Good Job!
dawnphilips said
on 4/1/2009 There are a couple other alternatives. I have had great success with tippleBox (www.tipplebox.com). You can search for sitters in your neighborhood by any criteria you need or post a job and let them find you. Best of all, it's free which is a big plus in this current economic climate
Thims said
on 11/18/2008 My daughter would consistantly be called for baby sitting. And my wife even thought it she was comfortable enough to leave me with her! ;-)