New mom with not a lot of reliable friends or family to babysit on a casual basis. I am looking for advice on trusting a young person/or stranger to babysit my one y/o. Wondering how I should go about selecting someone or other questions I should ask?
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For one ask for personal references.even.meet.with these people too not just.on the phone age should be an asset.also does he.or she.have thier.babysitting.course all of this should be documented especially hourly rate r they allowed to sit.on school night and how late r they.to stay out
Ask whether they are cpr/ first aid certified.
If they are young, ask if they’ve had babysitter classes.
Ask for references.
Do background checks. It’s worth the money.
Care.com does most of the work for you.
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Just be careful install cameras around you house. Your child’s life might depend on them
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I know every mamma needs a break sometimes but PLEASE don’t EVER trust someone you don’t know with a child that can’t talk to you and tell you things about their day and what they did. If you’re desperate to find a sitter, I’d look into a licensed care giver or something like that. It’s a scary world out there and people aren’t always who they seem to be.
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You can call I think city hall or your areas info place to find out whose taken a babysitter course if you dont know someone. You can have whoever you are interested in babysitting for you come over to meet and play first time. Then have them come to babysit while you’re cleaning the house type stuff. This helps all of you get to know each other and also helps babysitter get to know child’s routine or what helps them or where to find things etc. Also put cameras up. You can buy cameras and have them link to your phone so you can view wherever you’re. There is a ton of cheap options with no contract and pretty easy to set up.
i suggest installing some sort of surveillance, and whatever credentials they claim to have make sure you have documented proof of that. i would also suggest paying for a back ground check.
You can try care.com That’s what I used when I was a sitter. They do background checks. Make sure they are CPR/first aid certified for children. When looking for a sitter for our own kids we did meet and greets to do a personal interview and see how our kids took to them. Ask them to demonstrate proper medicine administration (have them show you how much Tylenol, benedryl, ect to put in a syringe) the sitter we picked out asked great questions like: what are things our child(ren) can and cannot eat, she asked where our first aid kit was located, where our fire extinguisher was located, activities she was allowed to do with them like painting and coloring, was she allowed to bring them outside to our fenced in backyard. A great sitter will ask these questions. If you still have reservations about a sitter you can install cameras that comes with an app that allows you to monitor what’s happening from your phone, that way you can still check in whenever you like. Our sitter sends us updates and pictures of what they’re up to.
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It ends up being a hiring process. I got a background check, I interviewed her, I saw her childcare license, I asked for references and I checked those references. I had her watch my kid for just a few hours while I was there. I dont live near family either, I do the best I can…For everyone that’s like I wOuLd nEvEr lEt a sTrAnGer wAtCh mY KiDs good for you, wish we all had it that good!
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Care.com does all the “hard work” for you — however — finding someone who aligns with your parenting style and what your family dynamic is can be more difficult
Are there any specific things that you do / do not do that other parents are accepting of?
Make sure the sitter knows that.
Meal prep for kiddo and sitter (it’s only polite)
Make sure they’re a well rounded individual and seemingly have their shit together (no need for added chaos and energies around your little)
If you have concerns about “ignoring” the kiddo because of phone use feel free to request limited use or only a few moments every couple hours (like a job would)
Get a camera (we’ve got 4 Arlos & 3 outside, one in her living room)
Ask for recommendations in your area. Do background checks and consider cameras in your home.
Nanny cams, background checks, have them get references about kids theyve babysat, and make sure your child meets the person after all that. You can tell alot about a person by how a child reacts to them.
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Id never leave my kid with a stranger. Know your sitter or take to licensed day care. Check out facilty records and state licese.
Back ground check for sure…drug test…if they are smiling all the time and say they can do it all be cautious…have them do a trial run for 4 hrs…while you watch on camera…don’t let them know…its hard to even trust the most honest looking person…also pray on it…
I had a friend ask me if I trusted finding someone off care.com and I flat out said no! you dont know these people and although they may not have a background, who knows if they have harmed a child without getting caught. screw that. I work at a daycare so I’m there with my 1 year old and know EVERYTHING that goes on with her. now, not every mom can do that. So I honestly would suggest a licensed child care facility with great reviews, ratings, and cameras where the parents are able to get online and watch whenever.
and make sure you go do a tour, so you can see how the teachers are in the classroom your child will be in. But also ask to go tour other classrooms because if your childs teacher isnt there, they will put another teacher in there from another classroom. you want to make sure you know who’s with your child.
Don’t trust NO ONE!!! Maybe going through an agency that does background checks and install cameras… please don’t leave your children with just anyone
You can advertise at a local college for people in school to be teachers, or at your child’s school or daycare. Your child’s teachers too. All these people take babysitting as side work. Always do a background check and nanny cams with an online service that you can check from your phone don’t hurt. Ask other parents in your area too. Who are they using and how long?
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