austin-moms-blog-finding-great-babysitters

How to Find the Best Babysitter

I vastly underestimated how difficult, and yet important, it is to find a great babysitter. Not just any babysitter. But a great one who could be available and consistent for my kids. Without any grandparents or available immediate family in town, conquering this challenge became CRUCIAL and I’m thankful that I can now say that we have a handful of sitters that we love. Here are five “do’s” and five “don’ts” I’d recommend as you search for the best babysitter for your family…

  • Do ask your friends and especially neighbors for their recommendations, and really keep an eye out for families in your neighborhood with older kids that could be sitters. It is super helpful to hire sitters who live close-by so that traffic and transportation aren’t an issue.
  • Do use online neighborhood association websites (like Nextdoor or our Austin Moms Blog neighborhood Facebook groups!) to ask about local sitters.
  • Do ask the staff members at your local gym and/or church community. The childcare providers there have been interviewed and hired for a reason! Also, they have likely been screened with a professional and criminal background check already which is a HUGE added stamp of approval.
  • Do, once you find someone, set them up for success by preparing your kids for the new experience. I always like to show my kids a picture of the person before they come over to remind them of the babysitter and hopefully get them excited about playing together. I find it also helps if I can provide some type of fun activity to suggest  before I leave. Something simple like blowing up balloons or playing with bubbles or a puzzle, etc.
  • Do provide the sitter with explicit tips on what helps your kids and instruct them on your expectations and the typical schedule/routine. Also, be sure to provide emergency contact numbers and let them know how you would prefer them to contact you in case they have any questions or updates.
  • Don’t hesitate to meet up with them in advance to ensure that you are comfortable with their demeanor and interaction with your kids. Meet at a playground or casual restaurant or coffee shop and let your kids play a bit if possible so they can be familiar with the sitter, and you can assess how they handle your kids’ personalities’ and behaviors.
  • Don’t assume the best babysitter for someone else’s family is necessarily the best for yours. Every child’s ages and needs are different, and there are always going to be certain sitters that are better than others for specific age groups and childcare responsibilities.
  • Don’t be shy about asking questions. Ask in advance about how much they charge per hour, and be clear about how many hours you’re asking them to work. Also, in my opinion, asking them questions about their life, family life, career, interests, etc. is fair game if they are going to be trusted with your household and children.
  • Don’t feel pressured to call them again if you weren’t impressed the first time. Trust your gut with this and don’t hire anyone you feel questionable about.
  • Don’t be vague about what you’re looking for in a sitter. Be specific, write down some of the qualities you’re hoping for ahead of time and be sure you’re getting at least the minimum of what you’re hoping for in the person you hire.

On that note, here are some of the things that I’d say make my top babysitters the BEST:

  1. Honest – They are honest about what happens while I’m out, but also honest upfront about their past experiences, skills, questions, etc.
  2. Confident – I love when it is clear that a sitter is very confident around babies and kids, and specifically with handling diapers, potty visits, bedtime routines, bottles, burp cloths, swaddling, etc. Or, at least I want them to be confident in themselves enough to tell me that they aren’t comfortable with these things and they want to be taught.
  3. Creative – Singing songs, doing crafts, playing outside, and/or telling stories is not a requirement, but when it happens, it’s noticed and so appreciated. My kids have much more fun and my 3 yr old daughter usually asks me when they are coming back over to play again.
  4. Responsive – Getting back to me quickly about their availability is awesome. But more importantly, I love it when sitters are responsive to me after I’ve left and they’re at my house with my kids. Letting me know with a quick text that bedtime went well or that it’s a-ok if I stay out later than planned is SUCH a blessing when I’m away and just want to quickly touch base.
  5. Proactive – Someone who doesn’t just do the bare minimum of taking care of the kids but who also notices that the vacuum is out and could be put away, or that the sink is full of dishes and could be loaded into the washer. I’m never expecting a babysitter to do housework, but when they proactively tidy things up, it is a game changer!!!

My best babysitters know who they are and I feel like I cannot thank them enough. What would you say makes your babysitters the best? What helped you find them?

 

 

 

Lydia Hekman
As the Sales Manager for Austin Moms, Lydia works with our amazing advertising sponsors who enable our site to continue to flourish and grow! She loves to help businesses spread the word about their products or services and how they can support Austin Moms. Lydia has been married to Scott for almost 13 years, and she is Mom to Violet, Ezra & Sylvia. She loves serving local Moms as a part of this Austin Moms team, but also separately as a birth doula. She and her family are partners of the Austin Stone Community Church where her husband Scott is an Executive Pastor & Elder. Lydia also loves going out to eat, vacationing in Michigan and spending time with her friends and family. 

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