The ins and outs of hiring a babysitter

I've had a few people ask me lately how they should go about interviewing and hiring babysitters.  As someone who has done a lot of babysitting (and still does) and has helped others find sitters; I have some advice.

When you first interview the babysitter, be sure that you have questions written down that are important to you.  Ask about their experience, any education they've received dealing with children, come up with emergency scenarios to see how they would deal with them, and be sure that they're certified in CPR and First Aid. 

Do your homework before you hire a babysitter.  Find out what the going rate is for babysitters in your area. Ask friends, neighbors, and people you know that babysit.  There are also a few online websites that will tell you what you should be paying depending on the number of children, the babysitter's experience level, etc. Talk with the babysitter about this before you agree to have them come babysit.  Keep in mind that a dollar or two more an hour isn't going to break the bank and might be the difference between a good babysitter and a great babysitter. 

Have your children meet the potential babysitter under your supervision.  See how they interact with your children.  Don't be afraid to get your child's input also.  Once the potential sitter has left, ask the kids what they thought.  After all, most children are blatantly honest (which is a very good thing in this situation). 

If you have a child that isn't yet vocal, it might be a good idea to invest in some sort of nanny cam.  They are available online for $100 and up.  This allows you to see what goes on when you're not at home and make sure that the babysitter is paying attention to your child the way they should. 

Once you decide to hire the babysitter, ask them to come for just an hour or two while you and your spouse run errands or visit friends in the neighborhood.  This gives the sitter and the kids a trial run to see how things go.  When you get home, ask the sitter how it went (preferably without the kids around).  You want to make sure that this person is comfortable with you and honest about how the evening went.  Once the sitter leaves, ask the kids what they did and what they think of the babysitter. 

Finally, go with your gut.  I know that this sounds silly to some people, but it amazes me how many people hire the first babysitter that comes along, even though it may not be a great fit.  You'll know within the first few minutes if this person is going to get along well with your child. 

Now that you've hired that great sitter, here are a few things that you should be sure to go over with the babysitter.

First, be sure that they know both you and your spouse's cell phone numbers, the address of your home, the home phone number, and a neighbor's number.  Let the babysitter know if you'll be calling while you're gone and whether you'll be calling on your house phone number or their cell phone.  I've had parents upset with me before when I didn't answer the house phone, but I don't typically answer someone's house phone unless I know that the parent will be calling. 

Outline your house "Babysitter Rules".  A big one to address is that of their phones.  They shouldn't be talking on the phone, texting, tweeting, or facebooking while they're supposed to be taking care of your children.  Having their phone nearby for you to call is one thing, texting their friends is another.  The babysitter also shouldn't have friends over.  These things may seem obvious to you, but may not be obvious to your babysitter.  Also, let the babysitter know how much television time, computer time, or videogame time you're comfortable with the children having.  Some families let the kids watch a movie as a special treat when the babysitter is over.  But this is also a good time to tell the kids that the TV needs to be off.  They can have a game night with the babysitter or crafting time instead of staring at the television for three hours. 

Write down an outline of each child's day from the time they wake up in the morning until they go to bed at night.  Update this as often as their routine changes and post it on the refrigerator or somewhere equally accessible.  You never know when plans might change drastically and you won't get home by bedtime.  This also helps should you and your spouse be called out of town suddenly and one of your family members is taking care of your children.  Be sure to include things like what your child eats at each meal, snacks,  TV time, computer time, learning time, nap time, what all your child takes to bed, bedtime ritual, and what to do if they aren't going to sleep.  Every child is a little bit different and having their schedule written out helps the babysitter immensely. 

Hopefully these points will help you find and keep a great babysitter so you and your spouse get a much needed night out!