Many times when you want to select a babysitter for your child, you ask yourself one question. How do I know they are the person I can trust? Much of what you learn about potential candidates will contribute to that gut feeling you get when you first meet someone. There are just some people you are drawn to right away, while others put out vibes that make you uncomfortable. The same thing goes for possible sitters. Taking note of your own personal reactions to each person you interview is a necessity.
Questions That You Should Ask Yourself During The Final Hiring Phase
If they happen to pass your first impression, here are a few things to keep in mind when seeking a new sitter.
What are your child’s needs? Know when you plan to be absent from your home. It is important to communicate what your child’s routine is so they can stay consistent when you are not there. This includes informing them of meal times, bathing, and bedtime. If there are other scheduled activities, advise the possible babysitter of those as well.
Some children require a little extra help due to disabilities or medical conditions. If your child requires medication, therapy, or other special care, it is vital that you discuss this with any candidate. Question them on CPR and any first aid training they may have received. You will also want to know how they might react in an emergency situation. Share as much as you possibly can so they are not taken off-guard. Related read: Sittercity promotion code
Does your child feel safe with them? Almost all professional child psychologists recommend that you bring the possible babysitter to your home for the first meeting. This presents an opportunity for you to see how your child and the candidate respond to one another and communicate.
If your child shows any worrisome signs of fear or uncharacteristic shyness, take a second look. Frequently, children are more perceptive than we give them credit for being. If your child does not behave normally around the candidate during the interview process and when you are nearby, chances are they will not bond well when you are absent.
Are there additional duties the sitter will be required to perform? Face it. We all lead busy lives these days, including our children. Sometimes it is a necessity that your babysitter complete other tasks related to your child in the course of their shift. Some children may need to be taken to sports practice, music lessons, or other social events. At other times, you may need the sitter to do laundry, help with homework, and tidy up around the house. Some families also require that their child’s sitter be bilingual. Related read: Check out these reviews of Sittercity
Ask questions and feel them out. Do not simply hire them to watch over your child, only to dump extra household tasks and expectations on them. That would be highly unfair of you! Discuss these things in advance with potential candidates. Make concessions if need be, and keep searching if they are unable to meet your needs.
Are you willing to pay extra for tips? There is one thing to keep in mind if your sitter is performing multiple duties. Be prepared to pay them extra. The general $5-10 an hour you would pay to a teenager who watches your child increases substantially when a more mature sitter takes on more responsibility and remains with the child for longer periods of time.
Talk To Your Child
It is always wise to talk to your child about their experiences with the new sitter after the first job. Children will speak their mind in an unrestrained way with their parents. This is your chance to find out about any lax behavior, negligence in responsibilities, and questionable actions that even your child took note of. These things will help you make the decision whether or not to hire the sitter again.
Learning to follow your first impression will yield surprisingly accurate results. Parents innately know who they can trust with their child. Factoring in these few important things will ensure you choose the best person for the job.
I don’t require my sitter to do anything else but to care for my kid. I want her focused on my kid. The only screen time she is allowed to have is when she watches tv with my kid. That’s all. Obviously, she’s also not allowed to use her smart phone as well. I know I’m pretty strict but I think that’s the way it should be,
I wouldn’t want a sitter who spends a lot of time on her phone. The only time she can use her phone is when she has to contact me but other than that, she should have 100% attention on my child. I make sure the sitter knows it well so that she won’t make any excuses.
I have never had any kind of guidelines in hiring a sitter. That’s the reason why I could never find the right one. But Sittercity changed that for me. Their three-step selection process is a very reliable system for me to follow. It gets me to cover everything I need to know about the sitter.
I make sure to ask the sitter if she is willing to extend her hours, Not that I have any intentions of pushing my luck, I can somehow gauge her attitude from there.
It pays that we have access to the profiles of the babysitters. This way, I can show my kids the photos of the applicants. They can help me streamline my choices base on how they feel about the physical appearances of the applicants.
Yes, you’re absolutely right! It’s always wise to get feedback from the child. No matter how experienced the babysitter presents herself to be, nothing can beat what the child has to say about her.
I get all kinds of questions every time I hire a babysitter. But I can never seem to organize my thoughts. I just end up worrying too much with all the questions I have in mind. You just paved the way for me to organize my thoughts. Thanks very much.