From babies to young children, there is a lot to love about your family. However, it’s also important to take time to foster your other relationships. This is particularly true if you want to lead a balanced life.
Because of this, you need to hire a babysitter you can rely on. If it is time to hire a babysitter, you need to take time to find the ideal one for your children. This will guarantee they are happy and safe.
You’re probably asking yourself “why should I hire a babysitter?”. While you can handle both your family and work, the truth is that it gets extremely challenging to balance both of them.
Working the entire day and having sleepless nights can have a negative impact on your work, aside from your family life.
If you really want to balance things out, you should consider hiring a babysitter. So? How can you find a reliable one? Here are several tips you should know:
Table of Contents
Know What You’re Looking For
Know the needs of your kid and understand what type of a babysitter you’re searching for.
Do you want a babysitter who will stay with your family? Do you want a night-time or a day-time babysitter?
You need to be clear when it comes to your criteria. You don’t want a babysitter walking in expecting to work full-time and you provide them a part-time babysitting task.
If you know what you’re looking for, you can be clear with the babysitter. It also helps save time when interviewing potential babysitters.
You might also want to consider buying custom plastic pouches where you can store food for the baby, that your babysitter can easily access.
Understand Your Budget
One of the most crucial points when hiring a babysitter is to know your budget. It’s fine to have a bit of flexibility in the offered price. However, you shouldn’t over-budget yourself.
For those who don’t know, a live-in babysitter charges less. Keep in mind that you are giving the babysitter a board and room.
You will be adding a total stranger as a member of your family. Thus, you’ve got to guarantee you’re prepared for it. In addition to that, keep in mind that a babysitter requires privacy if she stays with your family.
Check the Background of the Babysitter
As mentioned earlier, you’re letting a stranger have access to your personal life. A babysitter will have the right to enter the life of your baby, your home, and your family.
You’ve got to know the background of the individual you’re planning to hire. A personal interview is not enough to know the babysitter. You’ve got to get thorough knowledge of where she worked before.
Why did the babysitter quit? Where does she currently live? Aside from that, you also have to call their previous employers to know their experience working with the babysitter.
The most important thing you can do is to find out how the babysitter treats kids.
Ask for References
One of the ideal approaches to know more about your potential babysitter is to learn more about their past.
When interviewing the potential babysitter, you should ask at least 3 references. Then, you can contact these references to find out from them about what the babysitter did well.
You will probably know if the babysitter is going to make the cut after you speak with the references.
Ask About Past Babysitting Experience
You should know how familiar the babysitter is when it comes to babysitting. Know more about where they might be lacking experience.
You can do this by asking questions about how they will handle different situations. How will the babysitter react if one of the kids breaks an expensive glass from a high-quality bottle manufacturer? Will she scold your kid? Will she call you right away?
Search Their Name Online Before You Hire Them
Do a bit of research on the candidate. You should open your favorite social media application and see if the babysitter has a presence on any of the major channels.
You can examine their postings and check the comments from their friends to get an idea of who the babysitter is.
Talk With Your Family
You should discuss your decision to your family. You don’t want an awkward situation in the future. Listen to the recommendations they provide.
What type of questions should you ask? Is your family ready to have a live-in babysitter? Do they prefer a part-time babysitter?
It’s important to have a discussion since an individual entering your house will need a couple of adjustments. You’ve got to ensure your family is ready for these changes.
Contract
Once your family approves of the babysitter, make sure you create a contract.
What is the number of hours you want the babysitter to work for you? Can the babysitter utilize the appliances at your house? Can she bring guests? Will you take care of her food and travel allowance? How much are you going to pay?
What How the Babysitter Interact with Your Kids
Observe the babysitter when she’s spending time with your kids. Look at how they interact with each other and study the reaction of your kids to the sitter.
Show the Babysitter Around Your House
If you feel that the babysitter is the right one for you, show them around your place. Also, let the babysitter ask you questions. Also, don’t forget to remind your babysitter to bring a face mask each time she visits your house, especially that COVID is still a real threat to everyone.
Conclusion
Hiring a babysitter can be extremely overwhelming, especially since you’re letting a complete stranger have access to your life and family.
However, if you know how to properly choose a babysitter, you can easily find one that is reliable and trustworthy. All you have to do is to follow the tips mentioned above.