Finding the Perfect Sitter While You’re Away
Let’s face it. No matter how much you love your child there will come a point where you’re going to have to be away from them. Maybe you’re concerned about finding the perfect sitter while you’re away. There are many ways to find them; here are a few.
Start out by thinking of the people that already love and have a relationship with your child. Family would be an obvious first choice. Grandparents, aunts, and uncles already have your child’s best interest at heart. Why not ask them if they’d like to spend some quality time with your child?
After family, the next group of people that you’re most likely going to feel comfortable leaving your child with would be close friends of the family. Do you have friends that your family spends time with? They may be willing to trade baby-sitting duties with you if you need some time away from your child.
If you’re new to an area, you may not have family or friends to turn to yet. You’ll have to ask around to see if co-workers, people you attend congregational services with, or your pediatrician have recommendations. If you’re a member of a civic organization, you may find people to give you names of potential sitters.
Check with local colleges and universities to see if they have a child development pool that takes baby-sitting jobs as part of their school requirements. High schools may also have a similar program but you’ll have to contact each school to inquire.
After you have a list of potential baby-sitters, be sure to take the time to talk with them on the telephone before asking them for a face-to-face interview. You can use this opportunity to ask them about references so you’ll have a chance to start contacting them before you set up an interview.
Have your children available during the interview. Watch how they interact with your children. Use a “what if” list and ask them how they would handle certain situations or emergencies. Verify that they have first aid and CPR training. If this person seems to meet all of your other requirements but doesn’t have first aid training, they may be able to take a class at a local hospital or medical center.
Discuss what they would be required to do while baby-sitting. Will they only care for food or will they do light housekeeping as well? Will they have access to your television or computer while you’re gone? What hours are they available? Do they have their own transportation or will you need to pick them up?
Trust your own instincts. Whether talking on the phone or in person, trust what your feelings tell you. If you’re hesitant to hire them, there may be a valid reason. Does this mean that your instincts are always correct? Of course not, but it is something to consider when finding the perfect sitter while you’re away from your child.
