If you are like most parents you are always looking for a good babysitter. Great babysitters can be so hard to find that many parents don’t even like to give out the names of reliable sitters they have found (to their best friends even!) for fear of them not being available the next time they need a sitter for their own child.
A good sitter is invaluable to parents as they allow you as parents to have some time off from parenting to enjoy a bit of a social life. This article is here to assist with finding the right care provider for Baby by discussing some of the key qualities to identify the right person for you and your child.
1.) Is this person reliable? Whomever you decide to add to your list needs to be reliable and not have an excuse for why they are unavailable 4 out of 5 times you request their services. Now of course it would be courteous on your part to provide a few days notice prior to needing their services, however, sometimes you need a sitter and have little advanced warning. Will they be able to accommodate you in some of these circumstances? Of course this is also why it is wise to have more than one name on your list of potential babysitters.
2.) Do they have your child’s best interest at heart? Of course you need a sitter that is not afraid to lay down the law with the kids, but you also don’t want an individual that is only interested in getting paid and won’t really care about your kid as an individual. They need to take a genuine interest in your child and perhaps do some activities they both find entertaining not just stick them in front of the television all the time and every time they sit for you.
3.) Are they old enough for your situation? You may not be comfortable with the 12 year old neighbor’s daughter watching your infant. Totally understandable and you do not need to feel guilty about this at all. Just be honest with them and they and their parents should understand completely.
4.) Do they have references? Even if it is a neighbor’s daughter watching your child it is still a very good idea to ask for some references you can contact to evaluate the qualifications of your potential babysitter.
5.) Are they punctual? It won’t do you much good if you have a meeting to get to or a movie to catch and your sitter is nowhere to be found. Be sure your prospect has a good track record with being on time and at the very least calling if they are running behind.
6.) Are you comfortable with only female sitters? It’s ok if this is the case. It is your child after all and you need to be 100% comfortable with the person you choose to baby-sit for your children or you will spend your hard earned time off worrying about the kids (which is natural by the way!) instead of enjoying yourself.
7.) How much do they charge? Depending on your circumstances and needs in a care giver for your child, you will need to determine a price range that you are willing to pay for babysitter services. If you need a sitter that is acting more like a nanny expect to pay much more than a 14 year old that is doing babysitting for some extra cash.
All of that being said, an option that many parents are taking advantage of is online babysitting services. I will be doing an article soon that focuses on these services and why so many parents are turning to them. Basically it comes down to convenience, among other things.
One of the best and well known online sitter services is Care.com . It is relatively inexpensive to signup and once you have you simply enter your zip code and then have are able to view hundreds of qualified sitters in your area, including pictures of the prospective babysitter. Check them out I’ve used them for quite a while now and it’s a great service!
Good luck finding your next babysitter!
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