Before finding a babysitter, it’s important to know what you are looking for in a babysitter. Are you looking for a sitter who will simply just make sure the kids don’t wreck the house or do you want a sitter or nanny that will get to know your kids and help raise your kids or something in between.
Once you decide what you want in a ‘sitter, it’s helpful to interview and evaluate a potential sitter. You want to keep hiring a babysitter who’s doing her job, and doing more than just her job. You want a babysitter who genuinely cares. Is the babysitter watching more TV than they are watching your kids? Is the house a mess when you get home? Are they complying with your instructions? Did the kids get to bed on time? A bad sitter can undermine your efforts to raise your kids the way you want to.
Children can provide feedback on babysitters. Sometimes, they do this even if they can’t talk yet. Does your baby cry if she sees your babysitter? Do the kids light up when the sitter shows up? Some people have a certain rapport with kids. Maybe it has something to do with their personalities. Maybe the kids can relate to them. Your kids will tell you if they like the sitter. If they say they don’t like the sitter it may be because the babysitter is enforcing your rules. A careful parent can tell the difference.
Babysitter Evaluation
- Punctuality: Do they arrive on time?
- Reliability: Do they cancel at the last minute?
- Following The Rules: Do they follow your instructions?
- Communication: Do they give you honest feedback about the behavior of the kids?
- Cleanliness: is the house at least as cleans as when you left it?
- Other Skills: Do they know CPR, about to tutor, can they cook, etc?
- Child’s Response: Does your child like them? Do they get excited when they get to the house?
- Interaction: Do the babysitter positively interact with your child?
- Feedback: Do they take constructive feedback on their performance?
Once you’ve hired a sitter, be sure to continually evaluate their performance. They are an employee of your household. If you expect to use this babysitter or nanny frequently, offer to give them training such as CPR, first aid, cooking, and cognitive skills.