When you find and hire a babysitter to look after your kids, it’s usually because you and your wifey have somewhere to go together, since it’s been a while, you know? You and the lady of the house have some catching up to do after all the years and months of being busy-body parents. You need some private time together too, that doesn’t include all the talking while going to sleep in the same bed every night.
Go out and hire a babysitter. Someone you actually really trust.
So, how do you find a trustworthy babysitter?
Start close and ask around
Knowing that the other people you know closely trusts the babysitters they recommend is a great start. After all, they wouldn’t recommend someone to you unless they were good, right? The first step to trying to trust the babysitter is to trust the people who recommended them. You can even ask the local parents you know around the neighbourhood. In fact, you can ask them for recommendation, especially from the parents who have already hired the same babysitter constantly. It’s proof that they the sitter is reliable and capable.
When you schedule an interview
Of course, it won’t make sense to hire a sitter right away based on your friends’ recommendation without talking to them first. Ask them these important questions so you can gauge their capabilities and so you know you can trust them with your children.
- How much experience do you have in years?
- How many kids and how old are they do you usually look after at a time?
- Have you formal training from organisations such as The Red Cross?
- Are you certified in first-aid or CPR? Are these certifications child-specific?
- Any other certifications that may be relevant?
- In what way would you describe your style as a babysitter and a caregiver?
- How’s your driving record?
- Ever face any criminal charges?
- Is it okay if I conduct a background check?
Asking reference
And of course, these are the questions you ask the other people who have hired the babysitter;
- What was your reason you hired the sitter? What had been their responsibilities and duties?
- Have they been professional and reliable?
- Can I get a description on the style this sitter has as a caregiver? Were they attentive, engaged and playful?
- How great are they when following instructions?
- How do they handle any emergencies?
With this, you get a proper gauge of what the sitter you picked is like. It’s really important since you would leaving your own children and the house into their hands while you are out. That needs some serious trust. You can’t just hire anyone you find available at the last minute. Also, take cues from your kids if they like the sitter. That’s very important as well.