When you need a babysitter for your kids, what do you look for in a babysitter?

Question

Suppose your well known babysitter offer to watch your kids for free, would you accept?

What was the best or worst experience You had with a babysitter for your kids?

Is a daycare or a babysitter a best care for the kids?

Answer 1

Get referrals from family members and friends. Knowing the babysitter - their family is best. Look for his/her parents to be protective of thier own child - "When will you have her home? Did you need me to pick him up after he's done?"
Look for teenagers with a lot of interests, extra curricular activities and maturity. They are active in a sport, yearbook and can fit your kids in on Saturday. Ask them if they have taken any classes or workshops on babysitting. Ask them if they have taken care of younger siblings.
Then also look for them to ask you a lot of questions...Is Johnny allergic to anything? Can I reach you if there is a problem?
I haven't had any horrible experiences with babysitters. My best friend advertised in the paper for babysitters and had so many horror stories!!! My husband and I choose to use a drop off day care center. The place is always clean, full of kids to play with, has an inflatable bouncer and is on a video surveilance system that I as a parent can access only while my kids are checked in.

Answer 2

Well, the babysitter you choose should depend on how old your kids are. If you have a 10 year old, a 12 year old babysitter wouldn't really work. I would recomend a babysitter 14 years old or older. I would look for a babysitter that has taken a class or knows CPR, and what to do in an emergency. See how responsible the babysitter is. Try leaving the babysitter with you kids for an hour while you run an errand, when you come back see how things are going. Did the babysitter call you more than 3 times already? Are the kids happy or mad? Is the house still clean? Are the kids playing a game or watching TV? You can tell from those kinds of things if the babysitter is a good babysitter or not. I think a babysitter or a daycare are both good choices. Once again it depends on the age of your kids. Very young kids, and older kids will like to stay at home more because they will feel more comfortable, and older kids don't want to go to daycare anymore. If the kids are more in the middle area sending them to a daycare helps them meet new friends. If someone offers to babysit your kids for free I would want to know the babysitter first before I left that person alone with anyones kids. Good Luck!

Answer 3

Only you can truly answer that question. If your babysitter is well-known and offers to babysit for free, be grateful. Not sure why you are asking.
If you are looking for a babysitter and someone you do NOT know offers to babysit, then you need to have that person checked out. Who are their family, where so they live, do they go to school, do they have experience? Have they babysit for anyone else in the neighbourhood?
You won't hand your kids to a stranger, so why would you let a stranger in your house?
Only you can decide whether or not you want someone to come in to your home and watch your kids, or you want to send them to Daycare. Each has it's pros and cons. I have a Nanny come in to my home to watch my two youngest, we interviewed her, we knew her family, checked her references, made sure she had a police check and had her come in and watch the children a couple of times before we hired her. I like it because we don't have to get the kids ready for daycare.
If you are just looking for either, look in your area for the local daycare and ask them how long they have been in business and what they do with the kids, activity wise.

Here are a couple of websites that may help you.

www.canadiannanny.ca

www.canadiansitter.ca

Good luck!

Answer 4

I would certainly want to know why a sitter would watch my kids for free (if she isn't a friend or anything). You must get references and check them out carefully. I would especially try to find out if there is a family where the sitter no longer sits.

Ideally a sitter is best - like having the parent in the home. It is important to clearly state your rules for the child - how much tv, snacks, how to deal with problems, etc. Many people feel safer in daycare, though, because there is more than one adult present. But if yu can find a sitter who has left the last family for a good reason and gets a good recommendation, I would go with her.

Answer 5

The girl I babysit is 10. SHe says she hates "older babysitters" (30+) because they are boring. They watch tv and dont play with her. SHe said she cant stand "younger babysitters" because the text and talk on their phones and dont play either. Im 24 and she said she likes me (her mom told me) because I play with her, take her to the park and childrens museums, we made tie dye shirts and paintings . She is always busy when she is here and I do have a toddler so I am busy with him too but she has fun. I also enforce her mothers "read for 30 minutes a day" rule.