You have made some exciting plans for an evening out with your spouse, and you do not want anything to spoil it. Now you have the daunting task of finding the perfect babysitter, who will take of your child with love and affection. Where do you start? How do you know you will pick someone worthy of the task? Hopefully the tips in this article will guide you to a peaceful evening out, with little worry of who is taking care of your child.
First, you must decide on the criteria you are looking for in someone. Babysitters can be anywhere in age from a teenager to a grandmother. You have to think about your personal preferences and the situation you are in. For instance, will this be a one or two hour outing on a weekend night, or do you need someone for an all-day seminar that you want to attend? Your circumstances can play a heavy role in deciding who you will be comfortable with.
Next, think about your child's maturity. Is your child very young and needs someone with more experience in dealing with younger children? Maybe an adult would be best suited for this situation. Or, is your child older and pretty self-sufficient, but just needs that extra person there to make sure he is safe and stays out of potentially harmful situations? A teenager could fit the bill.
A basic list of criteria when choosing a babysitter might include:
- 16 years or older
- CPR certified
- Prior experience with references
- Nonsmoker
- Christian
Of course this will depend on each individual family.
You will probably hear about babysitters from word-of-mouth. Perhaps friends and family will recommend someone based on who they have used before. Your church may have a list a teenagers who are specifically looking for babysitting jobs. You may even put an ad in your local paper, if you are looking for someone long-term. No matter how you hear from someone interested in the job, there are some questions that you should ask them before giving them the job.
These questions might include:
- Do you have prior babysitting experience? If so, do you have references?
- Please tell me about your interests and hobbies.
- Do you have CPR training?
- What was your worst babysitting experience, and how did you handle it?
- What do you charge?
- What is your availability?
During the interview, it is a good idea to let the prospect get acquainted with your child before you hire her (with you in attendance). This way you can see how your child interacts with this person. Also be looking to see if the prospect is dressed appropriately, speaks intelligently, and seems to take an interest in your child.
Lastly, pray that God will lead the right person to you.
