Most parents occasionally need the services of a babysitter. Depending on your children's ages and abilities, a sitter should have certain capabilities that will allow her to provide quality care for the kids and peace of mind for parents. While some males take babysitting jobs, the majority of sitters are women.
Ideally, parents should recruit a pool of babysitting candidates from which to choose the person they hire. Potential babysitters can be identified and contacted through family members, neighbors, co-workers, and community organizations. Don’t collect the names of just any available teenager or unemployed person, however. Thoughtfully consider only those people who may actually have the necessary skills to adequately supervise your children.
Minimally, a babysitter should be twelve years old to become a mother's helper or "assistant" while Mom is doing other things at home. For example, Mom may have a home-based business or a weekend report for her regular job. She may be planning a party or caring for a sick relative. In any case, the babysitter becomes the parent's right hand in caring for young children with the parent close by for questions or help.
Teens who want to baby-sit on a more regular basis while parents are away from home should take steps to secure essential credentials. For example, the Red Cross offers a babysitting class at a nominal fee. The course teaches routine child care basics such as supervision, safety, and nutrition. Successful completion of the course leads to a certificate that parents should ask for when interviewing babysitting applicants.
The public library has a number of books and videos about babysitting skills. Parents of teens who want to become babysitters can help train their children to become responsible overseers by encouraging teens to use these materials.
Word of mouth is a helpful way to find out about babysitters with experience who may be looking for a job. Typical questions to ask a referring parent may include the following:
Is the babysitter dependable?
Does she arrive on time?
Who provides transportation?
Do the children feel comfortable with her?
What discipline is she authorized to use?
Does she abuse privileges by talking extensively on the phone, watching endless television, inviting friends over, or eating tomorrow's dinner?
What are her strengths?
What are her weaknesses?
In addition, ask babysitting candidates about their previous experience:
What do you like about babysitting?
What is the hardest part?
What makes it fun or meaningful?
How do you comfort a crying child?
What would you do if a child cut his hand? Bumped his head? Fell off a bike? Cried for his parents?
Be sure to establish basic ground rules before making an agreement:
-Determine the hourly rate.
-Decide on who will transport the babysitter if she doesn't have a driver's license.
-Find out how late her parents allow her to baby-sit.
-Set limits for the children's behavior.
If you cannot agree about these things with a sitter, you may need to choose another candidate. Child care can be valuable for the parents, instructional for children, and profitable for teens. Use caution in selecting the best person for the job to promote everyone's well-being.
