Many of us are fortunate enough to rely on friends and family to look after our young ones. But there are only so many times and for so long that you can leave your kids under their care. At times, you may need to find someone else for babysitting in Castle Rock.
Fortunately, it’s not hard to find many professional babysitters online or through apps. But finding a trustworthy and reliable babysitter isn’t the easiest task. Here are a few things you can do to find a reliable sitter to look after your children.
Search Within Community
Often, the best place to start looking for a babysitter is within your community. This includes your family, friends, neighbors, local school, workplaces, church, etc. Make a list of sitters and check their references like teachers, youth group leaders, or other families who called them for babysitting in Castle Rock. Oftentimes, the sitter may be happy to provide references.
When following up on the references, ask questions like how many kids they have or if they had any trouble with the way the sitter handled their kids.
Call The Babysitter
Invite the babysitter to your home to ask questions and see how they interact with your children. It will give you an idea of the level of comfort they have with the children. Ideally, the sitter’s methods should align with your method of parenting.
You should also ask if they have CPR or first aid training or what they’d do in an emergency situation. A babysitting professional can answer these questions satisfactorily and prove that they can handle the job.
See If They’re Qualified
The American Red Cross Babysitter’s Training Program recommends checking certain characteristics when searching for a qualified babysitter. These include:
- Having CPR/first aid training
- Displaying maturity, good judgment and common sense.
- Seeming friendly, responsible and fun
- Being neat and qualified
- Ask if they smoke or not
If they do smoke, make sure that they do not smoke on the job. Other than looking for these qualities, trust your gut feeling. You should get a good feeling from the person and be able to trust them with your child.
Consider Babysitting Charges
Ask the caretaker what they charge upfront so that there isn’t any confusion when the time comes to pay. The exact rates may differ based on factors like location, the number of children, experience, etc.
Call Them Early
Call the caretaker at least half an hour before you plan to leave the home. This will give you enough time to go over all the house rules and emergency issues.
Discuss House Rules And Provide Contact Information
Discuss house rules with the sitter like feeding and sleeping schedules, food allergies, specific likes and dislikes and anything else they should know to provide your child with the best care.
Don’t forget to provide the sitter with your contact information. Especially if you are leaving your child under the care of a person aged under sixteen. A medical professional can treat your child in case of a life-threatening emergency. But they need your permission for treating non-life threatening emergencies.
Call Home To Check On The Kids And Babysitter
Call home during the evening to check on kids and the sitter. It’s especially important if you are not easily available to receive calls from the babysitter.
Make the call at a time when you may intercept a potential problem. Like if you’re worried that the kids may refuse to go to bed, call half an hour past bedtime to see if that’s the case. You can advise the caregiver on how to convince the children.
Consistency is important during babysitting in Castle Rock when it comes to eating, sleeping and discipline.
Get A Debriefing From The Babysitter
Specifically, ask about the areas that you think they might have had trouble with. Many sitters may feel reluctant about admitting behavioral problems unless asked because they think it reflects on them.
Ask Your Kids About The Sitter
See if your kids had a good time under the care of the kid sitter. Ensure that they were fed and look at their behavior. It’s better to check this after you return because it’s normal for kids to cry or show separation anxiety when leaving.
