5 Great Tips to Finding the Right Nanny or Sitter

So you are faced with the hassle of finding a reliable, trustworthy, honest, and great sitter or nanny for your little ones, huh? Here are five great realistic tips to finding the right one for your family.

1. References
Reviewing an individual's references is a very important aspect of the hiring process. Company applications and personal resumes always have a section regarding previous work experience and references. The information included in this section expresses whether the individual is reliable and has previous knowledge of being a nanny/sitter. You can speak with their included references and get a general idea of their good and bad qualities. Always require references and be weary of applicants that do not include any unless requested.

2. Availability
When is the applicant available? Sometimes you get lucky and find an applicant that devotes all their time to being permanent nanny or sitter and have no other obligations. This is definitely hard to come by though and it's important to communicate with the applicant what scenarios might occur that prevent them from being reliable. Establishing availability will allow you to select the applicant that works best with your schedule. It's definitely important to have a reliable sitter that is there when you need them. Don't hire someone with lots of obligations and possibly another job that might interfere.

3. Driving reliability
If you hire a nanny or sitter that will tote your little ones around town it's important they have a clean driving record and dependable vehicle. No one wants to put their children's lives at risk because an individual has road rage or a phenomenal amount of vehicle accidents. Let's face it-just about every driver has had an accident or speeding ticket, but more than a couple is probably too many. Ask for proof of insurance and a copy of their driver's license. If you really want to ensure the safety of your little ones then purchase a background check available on the Internet.

4. Willingness to interact
You definitely don't want to leave your kids with someone that sticks them in front of a television and goes off to spend hours chatting on the phone. You need someone that will interact with the children and develop a relationship. But it's important you remember to provide resources for the individual to do so. Board games, books, puzzles, toys, and other activities are a great way for kids and sitter to interact together. Just remember that the individual doesn't always have to be involved with the kid's activities, but it's definitely something they need to do frequently.

5. Medical experience
So very few Moms' are actually certified in CPR so why should we expect our sitters to be as well? It's definitely a plus to have a person aware of how to handle an immediate medical situation but it shouldn't be required. The person does need to understand the basics of first-aid though. What happens if your child has a food allergy? Lots of people don't understand cross-contamination and might give your little one a peanut infested cookie. What about daily medication given to a child? You need someone that is trustworthy and will make sure to give the child the necessary medication. It's also important to trust they won't steal the medication hoping you won't notice.

Always remember that you are not perfect or super mom and your sitter won't be either. You just have to find the one that will always think of your children's best interest and treat them with respect. Don't have too high of expectations because you will be let down. Go into the interviewing process with an open mind and realistic ideals.