When it comes to finding the right babysitter to care for your little darlings, word of mouth is your best bet. “Networking is the ideal way to get recommendations,” says Diane DuBois, RN, community education instructor at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. “Talk with relatives or other parents in your neighborhood.”
If you want to see firsthand how a babysitter interacts with your children, practice sitting is a good idea, suggests DuBois. Invite a potential babysitter to care for the children while you do chores around the house or work from home.
Finding a great babysitter also means matching the right person to the job.
“Use a more experienced sitter if you have an infant, more than one child or a child with multiple medical needs,” explains DuBois. “Experienced sitters are also appropriate if you plan to be gone more than three hours or past 11 p.m.”
It’s perfectly OK to check in with the babysitter, says DuBois. A quick phone call can help you get a sense of how things are going. It also gives the babysitter a chance to ask questions about issues that may have come up since you’ve been gone.
Remember that as a parent, you have certain responsibilities, too. “Parents should prepare a safe place, provide what will be needed, explain what is expected and ensure the babysitter’s safe return home,” says DuBois.