Even when married, sometimes you and your husband need a romantic date night once in awhile. In other occasions, it may be a dinner from your friends, a wedding, or an important business meeting. Whether you have work or not, there are times you need a babysitter. The problem is you do not have any family member living with you to help you with this. That’s when you rely on someone outside the family circle. Here are ways on how to find a good baby sitter.
Ask Friends
Babysitter does not have to be a full time worker. She does not have to be Hispanic or Asian. Actually, she can be a daughter of your sister, or a niece of your friend. You can first start with your friends or relatives. Get recommendations from people you know very well. It takes a lot of trust and dependability when hiring a sitter for your baby.
Find Through the Local Listing
Once you have zero choices among the list of your relatives and friends, it is the last option to go for outsiders. You start selecting from advertisements on newspapers that are posted about babysitters, whether from direct contacts or agents. They are surely added on the local listing, which you just have to check. This is also available on the Internet, especially if you are residing in a big city.
Check Background
Assuming you have a few choices to narrow down, finding out if there any criminal history, health issues or mental problem is a good way to do so. This does not only ensure that you do not hire a person with a shady past, but also protects your child from any possible harm.
Schedule an Interview
You can move to the next phase of searching your baby’s new mate once you have three to five possible choices left. That is to interview them to get to know them more. You may be surprised to see someone is quite reserved or impressed how jolly and friendly one of them is. Prepare some questions that help you weigh down your choices. In addition, conduct an interview outside your house. You do not want a stalker or a hater in your house in case they take your “No, I’m sorry, probably next time” to be personal.
Observe
Saying to a babysitter that she is hired does not mean she is really in it. You may want to see how she is with your kid before you entrust everything. So, invite her someday to look after your baby, while you are trying to finish some work at home or maybe pretending to be busy. This gives you more idea just how much patience, diligence and trust she has for your baby. It also helps you change your mind in case you see any red flag of the way she babysits.
These are the things you need to do when finding a babysitter. Negotiating on the price is not much of a concern, but rather about finding out if you can trust her and depend on her enough to stay with your baby while you are gone.