How Do You Find a Babysitter?

For the first-time parent, finding someone you trust to babysit your child can be reallly difficult.

Here are a few of our suggestions: 

Word of mouth—ask your church, teachers, friends, and neighbors for a recommendation. 

The local college—ask for the job placement service. 

Friends—consider swapping babysitting nights with your friends who have kids. 

Sittercity.com—go online.  For a fee, this service will give you a list of babysitters in your area.  They will provide some background information, such as age, occupation, contact info, hours of availability, hourly rate, and sometimes a picture, references, or reviews, if they're available.  You can even order a background check for an extra fee. 

Craig’s list—give this a try, but be sure to check references and consider a background check.   

Once you've found someone, invite your babysitter over to meet the kids and learn where to find everything they need in your house.  Find out their contact info, how much experience they’ve got, and if they can walk or drive to your house.  Find out if they’re CPR-certified (you can offer to pay for a class if they are not), and make sure you check their references.

Agree on an hourly rate, and schedule the sitter for a date.  When the sitter arrives, tell the sitter where you’ll be, and give her your contact info & emergency numbers.  Let the sitter know what the kids can & cannot eat, how to discipline them, how much TV/computer time is allowed, and what time they need to go to bed. 

Now, go out and have a great time!! 

Were you able to find a great sitter?  How did you do it?

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