How To Find A Babysitter

It’s not so difficult to find baby sitter applicant as it is to find the right candidate. After all, baby sitter applicants can be found anywhere. But not every applicant is a good choice of baby sitter for your kids. The truth is that aside from the standard requirements of training and good background, different families may have different requirements from their sitters. The best way to narrow down on the right applicant-candidate is to conduct an interview.

Settling Into The Interview

When interviewing an applicant, make sure that she is as comfortable as she can possibly be. Conduct the interview in a good place in your home, free from any distractions. As much as possible, make her feel at home. This is more than being courteous – it is also a good way of breaking down her guard as it is during these unguarded moments that you get a good look at her authentic personality, her background and her temperament.

Try Breaking The Ice

You can begin the interview with light questions – questions that are non-threatening and can put her at ease. You can begin by asking her to talk a bit about herself, where she is from and if she has any other siblings.
Lightly asking about educational background and goal is another good interview question and provides a good springboard for more serious, critical questions. Of course, keep in mind that some answers are better drawn from between the lines – do not ask questions that are too invasive. For as long as you think an aspect of her life has no direct bearing on babysitting and handling kids, there is no need to pry too much into her private life.

Obvious Questions

Baby sitter applicants usually come with resumes in hand. Even then, as a parent, you are required to do more than read what is already outlined. Try asking her to expound on her resume and reveal a little something about what’s given. It is highly likely that she will be able to reveal something beyond what you see on the paper such as her motivations for babysitting, if she is purely motivated for its monetary remuneration or if she has any other interests that go beyond it.

Situational Questions

The best babysitters are those that can react appropriately and immediately to any given situation. In this case, it is necessary to ask her situational questions that will give you an insight if she’s suited for the job or not. Test how well she can handle potential emergencies by asking her what she would do when these emergencies come up. If your child has certain medical needs, you can begin by giving her a possible scenario. From her answers, you can gauge if she is the best sitter candidate for your child.

Be Alert and Observant

There are other ways of learning more about a person than just asking questions. One of these is through observation. Non-verbal languages can tell you a lot about your applicant. Non-verbal, body languages can tell you whether your applicant is telling the truth or not. Signs of nervousness, uneasiness and fidgeting when asked about her background may be indications that she is trying to hide something or trying to avoid the question for one reason or another.

If you want to find baby sitter applicants who are suitable for your child’s temperament or medical needs, you will have to do more than randomly pick one out from out of the many. You will have to do your part as the parent and make sure you are leaving your child in good hands. As mentioned, there are many baby sitter applicants – but it does not necessarily mean that all of them are able, competent, trustworthy sitters.

After finding a babysitter, it is important for parents to know the standard procedure of starting the babysitting services.  The most natural thing would be to simply leave the kids with the babysitter.  However, as a parent, your duties and responsibilities as far as your child’s safety and security is concerned does not end where your babysitter’s begin.  As a matter of fact, you have to have a certain degree of control over the set-up even when you are out of the house.   Here are a couple of things you need to do before you leave your kids with their babysitters.

Ask About How She Is

Asking about how your sitter is is not just a matter of being formal or polite.  What most people don’t know is that by asking your babysitter how she is, you are actually getting a glimpse of whether she is in her right mindset to babysit for the night or not.  It is not impossible for her to be tired after her day job.  In babysitting terms, she may not have the energy and enthusiasm to look after the kids the way she should.  By asking your babysitter how she is, you can make a more informed decision about whether it is safe to leave your child with her or not.

Special Needs of Your Child

If your child has certain medical needs or condition, this is the best time to inform your babysitter. Where your child’s medical condition is concerned, you can never be too careful. The most common condition among kids are allergies to certain food items.  Take time to inform your sitter of your child’s condition and what to do should the situation calls for emergency action.  Prepare a list of food items that your child is allergic to to make sure the sitter doesn’t make the mistake of feeding them to your child.  If there are medications to be taken, this is also the best time to give instructions on when and how it should be administered.

Give Disciplinary Instructions to Your Child

As mentioned, finding a babysitter is just half the work done.  As a parent about to leave your child with a sitter, take time to orient her with how things are done in your home.  This includes, most especially, disciplinary measures for the child.  A babysitter may have her own kids but don’t forget that discipline is viewed differently in different homes and families.  Before leaving the house, make sure your babysitter understands how you want her to handle your kids.

List of Emergency Numbers

Emergency numbers are SOPs.  Make sure your babysitter has the list of necessary numbers to call in cases of emergencies.  It is advisable that you post this list of numbers in a prominent place in your home, such as on the fridge or beside the telephone.  Don’t forget to leave your contact number with the babysitter as well.  As much as possible, be open about where you’re headed for the night so they’ll know where and how to get in touch with you in case your emergency mobile number fails.

Always remember that even if your sitter has first aid training, she can only do so much as far as her training would allow her.  Numbers to the nearest hospitals, fire department and police department are therefore necessary.

Leave Your Sitter With Food To Munch On

You may be paying your babysitter but that should not stop anyone from being thoughtful about another’s needs.  Babysitters may be superheroes before your eyes, stepping in when you need to step out – but that doesn’t mean they actually are.  Babysitters are also humans who need to munch on something at times in order to function properly while watching over your kids.  Be gracious and offer her refreshments or a few bites.  Allowing her some form of entertainment as soon as the kids have been tucked in for the night wouldn’t also hurt. The nicer and the more gracious you are beyond what you are paying, the more she will look after the kids with extra care beyond what she’s being paid.

Finding a babysitter to fit your babysitting needs is only half the work.  The other half should be to turn over your child to your babysitter in the right manner.