Helpful Tips on How to Find a Babysitter
There are numerous reasons why you may find yourself needing a babysitter. Maybe you need to go to work or maybe you are simply looking for some time to go out for the evening. Regardless of why you may need a babysitter, there are definitely some things that you should know about how to choose a babysitter. Of course, this process may be somewhat daunting; nevertheless you should know that you can definitely do it. The first place you should start is with asking your friends, family, neighbors, and possibly even your co-workers if they could suggest a reliable babysitter. Other places that you could check for a babysitter include the local Red Cross and your pediatrician.
Once you are “armed” with this list of babysitters, it is time to sit down and interview them. You will want to know what their experience is and how they interact with your child. If you are the parent of an infant, then you will want to make sure that the babysitter has had plenty of experience with infants. It is also highly recommended that the babysitter you choose has experience with first aid.
After you have made your way through these preliminary interviews, you need to short-list the babysitters that remain. You can then invite these babysitters to come to your home and spend time with your child. During this time you will want to position yourself in a place where you can see and hear what is going on, without being seen or heard yourself. This will give you some idea as to how your child is going to interact with this babysitter.
Before leaving your child in the care of any babysitter, there are some things that you should make sure that the babysitter knows.
1. The babysitter should have a full tour of your home so that they can see where everything is located.
2. Take time to point out where all of your emergency exits are located. This includes giving the babysitter information about emergency plans and first aid as well. Make sure that your babysitter knows where the first aid items and fire extinguishers, candles, and flashlights are all located.
3. Tell your babysitter about any special needs that your child has. Things that you won’t want to overlook include bedwetting, nightmares, and allergies. If there are foods that your child is not permitted to have, then you should also let your babysitter know about these as well. All of these things should not only be talked about, but they should also be written down for easy reference as well. If your child takes any medication, then you should leave instructions about them. You may also want to include information as to whether or not your babysitter is permitted to administer any medications, such as Tylenol, without your consent.
4. Your babysitter should be informed about the rules of the house. The things that you will want to make sure that you cover include TV, bedtime, friends coming over, and snacks. Of course, your babysitter will also need to know what type of discipline is acceptable, as well as what is unacceptable.
5. Make sure that you always leave your babysitter with a phone number where you can be reached. You should also provide your babysitter with two emergency contact numbers just in case your babysitter is unable to reach you. Some other phone numbers that are handy for babysitters to have are the numbers for the Poison Center, police, fire and ambulance services. You should also write down your own home address and phone number so that if the babysitter becomes flustered during an emergency the information is readily available for them to use.
6. You should also decide whether or not you want the babysitter to answer the phone and make sure that you tell the babysitter this as well. If you decide to let the babysitter answer the phone, then make sure that you tell your babysitter how to take messages and what they should tell the person who is calling. You should also tell the babysitter whether or not they are allowed to use the phone, have friends over, or take your child outside while you are away.
7. There are some things that you need to remind your babysitter about, even though they should already be experienced enough to know these things. You need to remind them not to leave your child alone, not even for a minute. Remind your babysitter about the dangers that even a few inches of water in the bathtub can cause. Other dangers that your babysitter needs reminded of are plastic bags, balloons, stairs, and hot stoves. If your child is very young then remind your babysitter to cut their food up very small. You may want to also remind them of what foods can provide choking hazards including nuts, popcorn and raw carrots.
This is all a part of making sure that your expectations are stated as clearly as possible. In doing so, you should not be vague or leave the babysitter with any uncertainty in their mind.
Once you return home you can then have a conversation with your child about their babysitter. Let them tell you all about it. Ask them what they did, what the babysitter did, if they had fun, and if they liked their babysitter. Your child will basically let you know if this is a babysitter that you will want to continue to use, and if so your child can show you if you need to go over anything with your babysitter.
Remember! Your babysitter is an extension of you, so you will want to make sure to take these steps in order to find yourself a great babysitter. Knowing that your child is safe and happy will let you relax so that you can do whatever it is that you need to do.
