How to Choose and Screen a Babysitter

Finding a good babysitter is hard, especially if you don't live near your family. Many people don't know where to look and what to ask when choosing a sitter for their children. There are places in your community you may not have thought to look.

Some people look to their neighbors and share babysitting time. This won't work if your neighbors don't have kids. When you are new to a community, you may not know your neighbors very well anyway. Teenagers can be good babysitters but it's risky to hire a teenager you know nothing about. Some teenagers take babysitting very seriously, while others won't care for your children as well as you would like.

Churches

It doesn't have to be your church, but if you attend a church, it's a good place to start. Some churches have lists of available babysitters. You could narrow the list down by choosing a few people who live near you and go from there. Churches are full of wonderful caring people, but remember that just because someone is a member of the church does not mean they are a good person. Ask other members for recommendations from the list.

Colleges

Do you have a community college nearby? Some have lists of students who are looking to make extra money by babysitting. As with teenagers, you must look at the personality of the student. The best type of student to choose might be one who is involved in early childhood development. Don't limit yourself there though; many students are great with kids, even if they aren't going into a field working with them.

Work

It never hurts to ask around at work. Talk to other moms or dads about their babysitters and where they found them. They may be willing to recommend someone to you, or tell you where to look.

Your Pediatrician

You pediatrician may not be able to recommend anyone to you, but it never hurts to ask. They may also be aware of community groups of which you might not know about.

Once You Have a Few Candidates

Ask some questions before leaving your children with anyone. Take into consideration their age and sense of responsibility. Find out if they know CPR or First Aid. Have your children around when you talk with each candidate. See how your children react to the potential sitter and how the sitter interacts with your children.

Ask some tough questions. This may make both of you feel awkward for a moment, but it's really something you should do. Ask them if they have ever hit a child. They may not answer honestly if something has happened in the past, but you may be able to tell if they are being dishonest. No matter how uncomfortable this may make you feel, remember you are considering leaving your child with this person.

You should also ask some other questions before you choose a babysitter. Ask them what they would do if the house caught on fire. Ask them what they would do if your child were injured. Think of scenarios and ask them how they would handle each one.

Ask about references and experience with children. Some teenagers may be perfectly capable of caring for four and five year olds, but should not be left alone with an infant.

Lastly, go over your rules about discipline and how to handle certain situations, such as bedtime or bad behavior. Make sure they understand your way is the only way, and that they are comfortable with your rules.

Final Thoughts

If everything seems to check out, but you have a funny feeling, look for someone else. Quite often we ignore our intuition when it's sending up a red flag. Keep looking. There is no point in going out with your spouse for a relaxing evening if you can't relax.