How to Choose a Trustworthy Babysitter

Choosing the right babysitter is one of the most important decisions in a parent’s life. After all, you’re trusting the care of your children with another person. But how do you know you’re making the right choice? Perhaps you live in a small town and the babysitter pool is shallow. Or, there might be dozens in your area, but which is the right one?

First and foremost, always choose the best. You can do this by reading their reviews online and contacting their references. Don’t be shy about performing a background check. Create a list of the things that you want to see in your babysitter. Narrow down your list of candidates and then interview them, ensuring they meet the criteria of your checklist.

Ensure they are Experienced

Experience is one of the most critical aspects of a babysitter. Obviously, he or she needs to know how to look after children. Job performance is quality No. 1. You need to feel secure in the knowledge that your children are safe with the babysitter. If you don’t feel confident in a babysitter candidate, look elsewhere. It’s like buying a car, you don’t just choose the first one without looking at others. 

Make them Pass the Kid Test

Introduce the potential babysitter to your kids. They need to like the babysitter too, as they are the ones who will be spending the most time with him or her. Pay close attention to how the candidate interacts with your children. If they connect, great. If not, they’re probably not a good fit. When all is said and done, your child or children really need to connect with the babysitter. If they don’t, everyone will be in for a long night. And if that sitter comes back, your children might resent them as well as you. 

Ask Yourself Further Questions

Once you’ve found a couple of qualified candidates, ask yourself some further questions to determine who is the best:

• Can this person manage the job if I’m gone for extended periods of time?
• Can they care for my child properly if he or she has special needs?
• Are they willing to clean up after my child?
• Are they willing to assist with chores?
• Can they pick up my child from school or practice if need be?
• Are they capable of feeding the children properly? 
• Can they discipline them properly? 
• Will they adhere to the nobody-else-is-allowed-in-the-house policy? 
• Can they keep a close eye on my children at all times? 

Your final choice of babysitter should have an innate sense of how to take care of children, and work independently. When it comes to you, the parent, you have to trust your gut. Keep in mind, if you have a pool of babysitter talent and it’s hard to choose between some great candidates, keep a couple in reserve. There’s nothing wrong with having backup babysitters who will all bond with you and your children.