features
Choosing
a Babysitter
Helpful tips for
finding a great sitter for your little one.
No one ever said
that choosing a babysitter was easy. How can you find someone who
can diaper like a pro, handle any emergency, and play games instead
of parking your baby in front of the TV?
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Ask friends and
neighbors for recommendations. Tell everyone you know that you're
looking. Even the nurse in your pediatrician's office might have a
name for you.
Check with local
high schools, colleges, nursing schools, and senior citizen centers.
Read the bulletin
boards (or place a posting yourself) at places where parents tend
to congregate, such as churches, supermarkets, or the YMCA.
If your child
is in day care, find out if any junior staffers are looking for additional
work. The best part is that they are already familiar with your child,
making the transition easier.
But how young is too young? Safe Kids, a child advocacy organization
in Washington, DC, says a babysitter should be at least 13 years old.
The American Red Cross, however, offers a babysitter training course,
available nationwide, to kids as young as 11. An 11- or 12-year-old
can make a great babysitter, especially if they have younger siblings,
notes Sherrita Rose, who trains instructors for the Red Cross course.
Ultimately, the age of the sitter depends on your own comfort level
and the age of your child. If you have a baby, you may want an older
teen, simply because younger kids may not have the strength or coordination
to hold, feed, and diaper a baby. If you have more than one child,
it's probably best to have a sitter who's at least 13.
Interviewing
a Candidate
Once you've found a candidate, interview her as if she's being hired
for a real job--which she is.
Ideally the candidate
you're considering should come to your house for the interview, so
you can see firsthand how she interacts with your child. Find out
whether she's ever cared for a child the same age as yours (if you
have an infant younger than 1, you want a sitter who has experience
with babies), the types of games she plays with children, and what
she does when they cry or refuse to go to bed.
It's not enough
that the babysitter seems responsible and likes kids, notes Heather
Paul, PhD, executive director of the Safe Kids Campaign. It's also
important for her to know how to keep kids from getting hurt and what
to do in an emergency.
Ask a potential
sitter whether she knows first aid, CPR, and the Heimlich maneuver.
You can get a sense of how well she thinks on her feet by posing "What
if?" scenarios, such as "What would you do if my baby were
running a fever?" Finally, ask for a reference (two if she wasn't
a friend's recommendation) and check it.
At some point
early on, you should ask what she charges. Fees vary across the country,
but a teen babysitter makes about $5 to $10 an hour. If you have more
than one child, some sitters charge extra. And if you want the sitter
to do any extra chores, such as folding laundry, be prepared to pay
more.
Closing the Deal
If the references check out and you hire her, go over house rules.
Be really clear, especially with a teen. Rose suggests telling your
sitter to limit phone use, even after your child goes to bed, and
not allowing her to have friends over. And if you're employing a teen,
you might want to meet her parents for peace of mind.
Before you leave,
make sure you go over your child's routines together: when he goes
to bed, whether he's allowed to watch TV, what to feed him. Most important,
review safety and emergency information. Point out your baby's gates
and your smoke detectors, suggests Paul. Tell her where the first-aid
kit, flashlight, and fire extinguisher are located. If you have an
infant, remind the sitter that babies should be put to sleep on their
backs.
Don't forget
to give your babysitter the phone number of the place you're going
and your cell phone number, if you have one. At home, post these numbers
by the phone:
Your child's
doctor
The police
The fire department
A neighbor who can be contacted for help
The poison control's local emergency number
The final step is to walk out the door. But be forewarned: Now that
you're free to have an uninterrupted adult conversation, you'll inevitably
find yourself talking about--what else--the kids!
Your
should know:
The
information on this Web site is designed for educational purposes
only. It is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical
advice or care. You should not use this information to diagnose
or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting your
pediatrician or family doctor. Please consult a doctor with any
questions or concerns you might have regarding your or your child's
condition.
Rebornne Baby. American Baby
