With more and more 2 income homes in this country, it becomes more vital than ever to find a babysitter you can trust. In this article you will find advice for parents on finding a trustworthy babysitter and ways to find out before you hire them if they will be a good match for you and your child. This babysitter checklist isn’t complicated, but very important.

The first thing to look for on a babysitter checklist is to evaluate their experience. Have they ever taken care of children before? If they have their own children, this should be a good sign, but then again, their children could have raised contrary to your parenting beliefs.

Do they have any training in child care? Many babysitting courses offer training in CPR and first aid. This is very important for them to have regardless of the ages of children they are babysitting.

When you interview a potential babysitter, ask them hypothetical questions about different situations that could possibly come up while they are caring for your child. Pay attention to not only what they say, but also their reaction to the question and if they try to avoid answering directly.

When you conduct your first interview, leave your child with someone else. You don’t want to be distracted by your child while you are going through your babysitter checklist, and you don’t want your potential babysitter distracted either. If you receive acceptable answers in the first interview, you can introduce the two later and have the chance to see how they interact without any distractions.

Age is an important consideration. The younger a babysitter is, the more chances there are that they are too immature to handle the responsibilities of caring for another child.

If you will be taking your child to the babysitter’s home, and she cares for other children, visit it not only when there are no other children there, but when there are other children there. Observe how she interacts with the other children. Does she address their questions with respect, or does she talk down to them and make their needs seem unimportant?

Look around the house; is it clean and taken care of? Obviously it can’ be spotless and uncluttered if there are children there, but it shouldn’t be trashed either! Take a look at the other children too. Are they clean and in proper clothing? Ask about diaper changing, if appropriate, and ask to see the diaper changing area. Changing multiple diaper for many children can be a breeding ground for germs, so make sure the area is clean and she has proper personal hygiene when changing diapers.

Once you decide on a likely candidate, set up a babysitting trial run. Have it last for a few hours so you can get a real feel for how things will actually go. Call her a couple times to hear how she sounds and if you hear any baby crying. A surprise visit can also prove helpful in vetting out any bad habits the babysitter may have.

Ask to see where and how any medications are stored and kept track of. Ideally, they would be stored in a locked cabinet and there will be a checklist sheet for each medication to be given out for each day.

If your child has any special dietary needs, make sure that the babysitter is on board as to what they are. You may have to bring your own food for your child, so determine how this would work now.

Have a serious discussion on discipline. You don’t your child being exposed to a double standard where discipline is concerned. You also don’t want someone who disciplines in a style you don’t approve of.

Bottom line, you have to use your gut instinct when you are going through a babysitter checklist. You know what and who is best for taking care of your child.



By: Kathy Runyon

About the Author: