Some states guidelines indicate that it is acceptable for children as young as 11 to babysit other children, but are they really responsible enough to care properly for your children? Here are the top five guidelines to determine if a babysitter is mature enough to handle the job.

1. The babysitter must have no emotional, medical, or behavioral problems which affect his or her ability to make good decisions. Don’t be afraid to ask the question.

2. This may sound obvious, but the new sitter must be comfortable being left alone with other children. This should not just be assumed. It makes some children very nervous.

3. The sitter must know how to access a parent or other responsible adult at all times. Make sure that they are comfortable calling for help if they need it.

4. The sitter must demonstrate that he or she knows what to do in case of an emergency. Ask them questions about what they would do in the case of a medical emergency, fire or other situation.

5. The child must be able to effectively exercise appropriate authority over your children. It is not always the best choice to have a 12 year old supervising a 10 year old and his younger siblings or for a brand new 11 year old babysitter to watch a newborn baby.

If in doubt, even if it means looking longer for a new sitter using online services like Sittercity or looking to an older adult to help, most parents feel it is better to be safe than sorry.

By: Beth Howland

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If you’re trying to find a nanny, many of the common and most costly mistakes can be avoided if you do a little homework. Hiring a nanny to care for your children can be the most important decision you will have to make in regards to your family because of the safety issues involved. Leaving your children alone with a babysitter can be extremely stressful on you and the children. Just trust your instincts. If your gut says there is something wrong, move on.

If you spend necessary time beforehand doing your homework, before you contact any applicants, and clearly define your needs, then you don’t run the risk of getting into trouble. Simply screening a nanny over the phone, and eliminating potential applicants even before the initial in-person interview is a tremendous time saver. Families can eliminate a ton of headaches by thoroughly screen the nanny candidates. Don’t rush to a decision. Have a time where you, your children, and the nanny can all interact. This does not have to be a long period of time but it is a good opportunity for everyone to get used to each other.

Avoid these 14 Common Mistakes when looking for a nanny for hire:

Failure to review an applicants training or orientation Not asking for multiple references Not following up on the references given to you Forgetting to schedule a second, working interview Failure to interview multiple nannys Not doing your own internet search Not creating a contract between you and the nanny Not asking about unexplained gaps in applicants employment Not using a reliable source such as the International Nanny Association Do not ask her to scrub your toilet Not setting up regular performance reviews By trying to pay below market rate Not having a full refrigerator By forgetting to do a background check

The most important step or most common mistake in hiring a nanny or other live-in help is forgetting to run a background check. At a minimum you should check for criminal records in all places she has lived and worked in the last 3 years. Be sure to check the state sex offender registry too, and check her driving record if she is licensed. If using a nanny agency, you should expect this as part of your fee. Ask to see the actual report, and make sure all items were checked.

By: Daytona Watterson

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Finding a good babysitter during the year can be tough, but finding a good babysitter during the holiday season can be downright frustrating.

Here are some secrets to finding a great babysitter so that you don’t miss even one great holiday gathering.

1. Plan ahead.
A sitter’s schedule fills up just as fast (if not faster) than it does for the rest of us. Call early enough to get on the calendar early.


2. Always pay well.
Find out what everyone around you is paying babysitters and pay just a little more. This way sitters will clear their schedule when you call.


3. Try a parent swap.
If you need to get out to go shopping or to a party, then chances are your friends are having the same issues. Try switching kids for the night. One night you have all the kids. Then next night, your friend takes them. It will save in babysitting money and the kids will enjoy the play dates.

4. Shop online…for a sitter.
You may be shopping online for your gifts, but you may also use the internet to find a great babysitter. Great sites, like Sittercity, have thousands of babysitters and probably have some great ones right in your local area.

5. Check your school or church
Many of these organizations offer some great “Parents Night Out” fund raisers where they will watch everyone kids for a night for a fee. They often plan some really fun activities for the kids while you enjoy the evening!

By: Beth Howland

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Busy moms don’t have the time to spend half of a day calling around the neighborhood looking for a good babysitter for Friday night. And what happens if you can’t find a sitter for a upcoming wedding and you can’t rely on family because they are all going too?

Many moms have turned to the power of the internet.

After all, we use the internet to do our shopping, find our soul mate, and even for help making dinner. Why not use it to find a babysitter as well?

There are several great sites on the internet that offer a monthly membership to do just that. They pride themselves on finding you the perfect babysitter right in your local area.

You would expect that larger urban areas are the locations that will have a large number of available sitters on the growing number of match-making babysitter service sites, but if you check by zip codes of some of the more suburban areas, sites like Sittercity have a large number of babysitters there as well.

Another advantage to busy parents is the background check available from some sites. Although this may be an additional charge, this saves you the time and expense of doing these reference checks yourself.

So with a few clicks of the mouse, busy moms everywhere can search through dozens of profiles to select a sitter, run some background checks and have a good size list of good babysitting candidates in no time. What could be easier?

By: Beth Howland

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Do you find yourself saying “I Need a Babysitter Now!” and don’t know where to start? Well, help for parents who need to find qualified babysitters quickly has arrived.

For years, we relied on family to watch our children when we were away, but when suddenly the situation changed, we needed to reevaluate our options and find babysitters that we could trust and do it quickly.

Luckily the internet has made this easier for parents like us who do not have the ability to rely on family or friends to care for their children. They help locate quailed caregivers in your local area to meet your needs.

These babysitter sites work similar to dating sites…basically finding good matches between parents and babysitters or nannies available in their local area. Some sites even let you search sitter descriptions by zip code before you even sign up.

In most cases, it is quick and easy to join, post a description of what you are looking for, look over babysitter responses, check their references, and even run needed background checks.

Some popular babysitting services are:

• Sittercity

• Nannies4hire

• Phone a Babysitter

• 4sitters

• BabySitters


With the help of these sites, you don’t need to rely on family or steal the neighbors’ sitter. You can quickly find a great babysitter right from your computer.

When you sign up for their services, these sites help you to find the perfect sitter for your specific babysitting needs and in record time. You can easily find a babysitter and run the necessary checks within a couple of days.

By: Beth Howland

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