Tips for Choosing a Babysitter

What qualifications should an ideal babysitter possess? This is a very important question. After all, a babysitter is going to be looking after your most precious assets; your children. Therefore you should definitely be selective when choosing a babysitter. Some of the more important qualifications you should look for include:

CPR / First Aid Certificate

Requiring a babysitter to have an up-to-date first aid or CPR certificate such as those offered by the Red Cross is highly recommended for obvious reasons. In the unlikely event that anything should happen to your children, you want to make sure the person looking after them knows what to do in emergency situations.

Experienced

Generally, the more experienced a babysitter is, the better. Look for a babysitter that has at least two years of experience taking care of children, especially if you have younger children or children with special needs. Having someone whose already familiar with child care will give you some piece of mind.

Responsible

Make sure you hire a responsible babysitter. This is a bit of tough one in that it requires some of your own intuition. However, if you look for clues their personality will become apparent. If they're in school, are they a good student? If they're an adult, are they holding down a job or a full-time parent? When you ask to meet with them to discuss the position do they arrive on time? When you call them and leave a message do they phone you back in a timely manner? The point is that if they are responsible in other areas of their life, there's a very good chance they'll be a responsible babysitter as well.

Loves Children

You might think that all babysitters love children and that's why they want to babysit. Well, not exactly. There are a number of people out there that just want to make some extra bucks and, believe it or not, do not even enjoy being around children! So how do you know if a babysitter genuinely loves children? Simple; ask them over for an interview and see how they react with your kids. Does the babysitter's face light up once they see your children? Do they engage your children in conversation? Do they get down and start playing with them or do they simply smile and remain quiet. Another good idea is to ask your kids what they think of them? Children can be very perceptive.

Good References & Background Check

Last but certainly not least, strongly consider checking references and acquiring a background check on your babysitter, particularly if it's someone who you just recently came to know. Background checks are typically not that expensive (~$40) and considering the fact that your babysitter will be alone looking after your children, it's well worth the investment.