It’s never easy for a parent to leave her child in the care of someone else. For stay-at-home mums, the reluctance to use babysitters is understandable given that they are the children’s primary care giver. Letting a stranger caring for their child is akin to taking a huge risk.
However, even stay-at-home parents need help from time to time. As long as these parents do a bit of homework, choosing the right babysitter is not all that hard. Here are some tips on selecting a good and safe sitter for kids.
The Babysitter’s Age and Maturity
If the child is very young and needs to be left alone with the babysitter, choose someone old and mature enough. The American Red Cross cautions against choosing a sitter younger than 11 years of age to look after a baby. Some childcare experts even argue that babysitting jobs should only be given to kids older than 14. However, preteens do make great parent’s helpers as long as mum is at home and she all she needs is some extra help with housework.
Good Interactions with Kids
Obviously, for a babysitting arrangement to work, there must be good interactions between the sitter and the kids. Make sure the job goes to someone who really loves young children and enjoy being with them. Ask the candidate open-ended questions such as “Why do you like working with children?” and “What do you gain from babysitting besides the money?”. How she answers the questions will give the parents some ideas of whether she has a natural rapport with children.
Child Minding Experiences
It’s a huge relief getting a babysitter with previous child minding experiences. Those getting recommendations from friends and should ask how long the potential candidates have been babysitting for them, the ages of children they care for and the duties they carry out. If babysitters are sourced through advertisements and babysitting agencies, ask them to provide references and do check the references.
First Aid Skills of Babysitters
If possible, find a babysitter who knows what to do during an emergency, has adequate training in safety procedures and can administer first aid or infant CPR. Ask her to produce relevant certificates during the interview. Also, make sure the carer knows not to shake an infant in any situation.
The Sitter’s Personal Habits
Parents hiring a sitter should also ask her about personal habits that they may object to such as smoking, drinking alcohol and swearing. Set some ground rules about what she can and cannot do while on duty.
A child’s safety and well-being must not be compromised when choosing a babysitter. It’s every parent’s right to be fussy about the person she leaves her children with. Things to consider when selecting a safe sitter for kids include age and maturity, positive interaction with kids, previous child minding experiences, first aid skills and training in safety procedure as well as the sitter’s personal habits.
Found this article useful? Read also Finding a Babysitter, Preparing for a Babysitter and Leaving Children with a Babysitter.
References:
Babycenter Website – Using a Babysitter
Find A Babysitter (FAB) Website
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