There are many different ways of choosing a babysitter. Some parents form a babysitting club with others where they take turns to look after each others’ children. Most commonly, parents will find someone by word of mouth, from friends or neighbours. Often there will be teenage children in the neighbourhood who will be looking for extra pocket money. There are babysitting agencies who charge a commission (usually this is paid by the babysitter), and who carefully screen applicants before they will employ them. Although agencies usually are a little more expensive, they have the advantage of ready availability of a sitter, as well as a careful selection process.
If you are considering using someone you do not know, ask for references and make sure you interview her beforehand about her experience and to get a sense of her personality and how she relates to children. You may want your children to meet the babysitter as well, to see how they relate to each other.
have her visit in advance, preferably during the day, or at least to come an hour or so before you leave. This time is important as it allows her to meet the children and become familiar with the house.
Show her around the house, including the doors, locks, location of telephones, alarms, torches, first aid kit, light switches, and so on. Make sure she knows what to do in an emergency, how to handle the children if they wake from sleep, and any special needs they may have. It is important to leave the telephone number for where you will be, and an emergency phone number of relatives or friends in case you cannot be contacted for some reason.
Remember that having a babysitter should be a positive experience for your children and so preparation is important. Your usual sitter may sometimes be unavailable, so it is a good idea to go through the process described above with a couple of sitters.
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