October 23, 2017 by Snupit
A babysitter you can trust is a great source of comfort if you need to go out and leave your children with someone responsible. Hiring a babysitter is great if you regularly need to attend after hours work events or if your job requires unusual hours or shift work. If you are not requiring a babysitter for work purposes, having someone home with the children while you reconnect with friends and enjoy some social time out of the house, is a lifesaver. Every first time mother feels hesitant about leaving her child with anyone she is unfamiliar with, and this is completely understandable. Whether you are a first time mother, or a father of five children, finding the right nanny or babysitter is imperative, as the lives of your children will be in the hands of the person you employ for this role.
1. Get references
Get references every single time you interview anyone who wants to apply for a position that will involve your children. Simply calling their reference is not good enough, verify that the reference is legitimate by ensuring it is not just a friend of the potential employee who was asked to spin a story. You cannot be careful enough.
2. Ask for experience
Depending on the age of your children, you have to decide what experience the job requires. The younger the child, the more important enough experience is. A small baby requires someone who understands how to feed, dress, clean, soothe and settle an infant. A year old child on the other hand, can be babysit with no experience. Also decide on whether you want the babysitter to have access to transport. It is important that in the case of an emergency, the babysitter is able to leave the premises with the children, and a vehicle is important for that. If you feel the risk of any incidences is low, a teenager can babysit, but ensure that there is someone that can be called to assist in an emergency, close by.
3. Ensure your babysitter knows how to act in an emergency
In the unfortunate event of a fire or a child choking or any other dreaded event taking place, ensure that the babysitter you decide to hire is capable of acting calm and making level headed decisions in an emergency situation, because she will be the most senior person there. It is not necessarily crucial that a babysitter has completed a first aid course, although a candidate with such a certificate should be given preference. Ensure that the babysitter has access to the telephone, all the emergency numbers, a fire extinguisher and that she understands that in an emergency, it is her job to protect the children first.
Finding the right babysitter is a lot more than simply three basic steps, however, these safety points will help to steer you in the direction of selecting a great babysitter. Safety always comes first, and a babysitter’s purpose is to protect the children and offer them safety and comfort in your absence. If you are looking for a qualified and experienced babysitter, visit Snupit’s online directory. We have wonderful babysitters in your area, just one click away!
Filed under : Baby Sitters