Selecting a babysitter to care for your children can be daunting. Follow these tips to find a babysitter both you and your children will love:
• Get recommendation from people you trust.
Ask family, friends, neighbors, church groups, teachers and school staff – anyone who has spent time with your child whose judgment you trust.
• Don’t rush through the interview process.
Start with a phone interview and verify references, then have an in-person interview at your home where the potential sitter can interact with your children to see if it’s the right fit. Don’t forget to inquire about any first aid or emergency training the sitter may have received, or if they would be open to such training.
• Weed out potential conflicts.
Note any animals you have up front, as allergies are common. In addition, be honest and up-front about things that aren’t acceptable in your home, especially if you are opting for an older babysitter, such as smoking, alcohol, candy, etc.
• Trust your instincts.
If it doesn’t feel right, choose another sitter.
• Don’t be stingy.
There’s a reason for the old adage, “you get what you pay for.”
• Check-up.
Follow-up with your children the next day about how things went and what they did. Nanny-cams or having neighbors pop-in offer additional options.
• Have a backup.
It is inevitable there will be nights you are desperately in need of a sitter, but schedules just don’t mesh. Having a good backup prevents you from having to settle for someone who falls asleep on the job.
Want child care you can trust? Count on Horizon Education Centers, offering convenient locations in Cleveland, Elyria, Lorain, North Olmstead, and North Ridgeville.
