Sammy Page: How to Find A Great Baby Sitter

Maybe your sister and niece were always your babysitters in the past, but they've moved away. Perhaps your old babysitter is going off to college. Or maybe you're new in town.

The day you've dreaded has arrived. It's time to find a highly qualified babysitter. How do people do this? Ask family, friends, neighbors and co-workers to recommend some babysitters.

Do they have a babysitter that they trust implicitly with their children? Is the babysitter kind? Does the babysitter follow parental rules? When the parents leave, do they feel confident about the safety of their kids? When the parents return home from a night out, are the children happy? Is your home a disaster, or tidy?

You know all the concerns, now you just need to find a great babysitter. If you've asked around and still come up short, don't despair. You can put an ad in the paper, or even go online.

When you write your ad, know what you're looking for, and make it clear. Be prepared to set up several appointments. Ask the prospective babysitter(s) for references from satisfied parents, and call them.

At the appointment, scrutinize your prospect carefully. Is the babysitter courteous? Ask the babysitter personal questions. Discuss rate of pay to make sure you're both on the same page. If the babysitter passes the first hurdle, you may want a second appointment. Have the potential babysitter come over and spend time with the children, while you're at home. It's important to take the time to determine if said babysitter will mesh with your family.

Hopefully you will have many applicants to choose from, and hopefully there will be one or two who stand out head and shoulders above the others in terms of desirability. It's a good idea to have multiple babysitters, so if one is busy on a given day, you have other quality options.

There! You have run the process, and gotten yourself some childcare. Be good to your babysitter, and you can expect her to be good to you and your children.

source: EBabysister

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