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5 Steps to Choosing a
Good Babysitter
With all the frightening and worrisome stories
on the news about
abuse from babysitters, many parents are
reluctant to leave their
little ones in the care of someone else –
particularly if that
person has never had children of their own. Here
are five steps
you can take to ensure that you find a skilled,
trustworthy
babysitter that both you and your children are
comfortable with.
1. Ask for references. Nothing beats a
word-of-mouth
recommendation from someone you trust. Friends,
relatives and
other moms you meet on the playground can be
great sources for
referrals. Check your neighborhood classified
ads or local
bulletin board for babysitters looking for work.
It helps to
choose a sitter in your neighborhood who can
contact their own
parents for help in case any minor problems
arise.
2. Make sure you choose someone who is old
enough and mature
enough to do the job. Infants especially require
someone who is
experienced and has possibly raised children of
their own.
Toddlers and school age children can be looked
after well enough
by a 13 year old, but make sure to have a list
of emergency
numbers, next door neighbors or relatives, and
the number of the
place where you’ll be going in case your sitter
needs to contact
you.
3. When interviewing the sitter, ask for
references and call them
to verify the sitter’s suitability as a
caretaker for your
children. Ask about any special qualifications
such as CPR or
First-Aid training, Heimlich maneuver, what to
do in case of
accidental poisoning, etc. You should also not
be afraid to ask
the sitter about personal habits such as
swearing, smoking or
drinking. Lastly, discuss payment options and
transportation
issues with the sitter and arrange to meet her
parents if you
can.
4. Schedule a “Meeting Day” with the sitter and
your children.
Allow them to play and interact together and
monitor the result.
Try not to be in the same room if you can avoid
it, since some
young beginning sitters are very self-conscious
and may feel
awkward having you observe them – especially on
their “first
day”. Just listen to them and offer suggestions
if needed. Pay
special attention to how the sitter disciplines
the child or
transitions them from one activity to the next.
Don’t be afraid
to step in with tips for the sitter on how you
discipline or
guide your child, since every mother has a
different style of
parenting and often, a different set of rules.
This ensures that
the child knows how to behave no matter who is
watching them.
5. From the moment the sitter begins working for
you, make sure
they understand the “House Rules”. These include
things like
feeding and bed times as well as Do’s and Don’ts
for each child
(i.e. no TV until homework is done – no cookies
before dinner).
You should also add on rules for the sitter to
adhere to herself,
such as no friends over, no loud music, etc.
Above all, if your child is old enough, make
sure they are aware
of and understand what abuse is (both physical
and verbal), and
to tell you right away if the sitter does
something to hurt them
or make them feel uncomfortable, even if it was
only done “in
play”. Be cautious and always use your best
judgment in any
situation. Your children are counting on you!
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