How do you Trust a Sitter? Interview Her & Do it Well.

Interviewing a baby sitter is an extremely important part of feeling good about the person watching your child. If you are new to babysitters – this article is for you!

Eventually parents come to the understanding that, “No man is an island…” It is a truth that dawns upon them, the night they dare to venture from home, childless. The first night out usually occurs somewhere between the time the child is weaned and middle school. It is not that parents do not recognize the need for a night out. It’s just that, well, “who do we get to stay with the kids?” Some of us arrive at the conclusion earlier than others, but every parent eventually comes to the same conclusion, “no man is an island”, we need a baby sitter.

Unfortunately, acknowledgement is just the beginning to the parent’s baby sitter woes. We have issues; trust issues. Parents must enjoy a level of comfort with the baby sitter, before they can begin to enjoy anything close to comfort on a night out. One way to get there is with effective interviewing. Interview potential baby sitters to find one with whom you can trust with your children. It is not crass to do so. What among your possessions is worth more to you than your children? There is nothing you treasure more, nothing that even comes close.
A very good place to start is with the sitters of good friends. If you have a friend who has a trusted baby sitter, get her number. Before calling her to sit, call her in for an interview.
Just because she is a good fit for your friend and her family, does not mean that the sitter will suit your family dynamic. Different families have different needs. Determine what you want in a baby sitter. Your family may prefer a female sitter to a male, or an older one to a teenager. This is one time when equal opportunity takes a back seat. There is no quota to meet. You can hire young, old, male or female. However, don’t waste a sitters’ time with an interview, when you know already that he/she does not meet your criteria. (If you are considering hiring a teenager, find out the legal age to babysit in your area. No matter how mature the teenager is, if underage and an accident occurs and police or firefighters are called to the home, the parents could be charged.)

For effective interviewing, make a list of questions before meeting with the potential baby sitter. Proposed questions should include, but are not limited to the following:

1. How long have you worked as a baby sitter?
2. Are you more comfortable with one age child over another?
3. Do you have any special training i.e. a baby sitter course?
4. Are you equipped to perform CPR? Can you prove that you have taken the Red Cross class?5. Can you supply references?
6. Why should I hire you?
7. Do you drive?
8. How would you handle an emergency situation?
9. Can you babysit in our home?
10. Do you have children of your own?
11. Do you have brothers and sisters, and do you baby sit them?
12. What is your hourly rate? Can you also sit during the week, or are you limited to weekends?
13. Do you charge more for additional children?
14. How reliable are you? Can I count on you to fulfill an agreement to baby sit, barring an emergency?
15. Do you have a boyfriend?

These questions are just a few to get the ball rolling. There are a number of questions which will be pertinent to your own family. If you have a baby, you will want to know how comfortable the sitter is with diapering, for example. If you have pets, you should ask the sitter if he/she is allergic, or has an aversion to animals. Also ask the sitter about any rules that are specific to your family. If the sitter has trouble respecting the rule, how will she enforce it.

Sometime during the interview, have your children present. Introduce the kids to the sitter. The initial interaction of the baby sitter and children may be the first indication, as to whether this sitter is right for your family. While first impressions are not always right, they aren’t always wrong either.

Relevant questions and follow up, is what is necessary for an effective interview. Be prepared with the right questions, and follow up on the references. In addition, a background check is not out of the question. Ask permission first of the baby sitter. He/she may find it an invasion of privacy. His refusal to do so may not be an indication that he has anything to hide. But, how would you know? Feel free to eliminate him from the running. Your children are your only priority.