How to find the perfect babysitter

MYB has come up with a checklist for the most important things to consider when hiring a babysitter, and how you can come to a decision that you feel comfortable with. 1 – The first thing to do is to run the necessary background checks. It is important to disregard personal opinions when it comes to doing this, as often that “gut-instinct” can be wrong. If the candidate has a clean criminal history, running a background check should not be an issue. 2 – If they come back with a clean background check, next step will be the interview. The most significant part of this stage is to come to the understanding that their childcare techniques are similar to yours. There are many different opinions on how to be a parent, and considering this is a subjective judgment, you want to find someone with similar beliefs and values to you. 3 – Once you find a candidate you feel would be right for the job, it’s time to perform a drug screening. Again, don’t let your feelings interfere with this important process – you may be surprised that a candidate who you trusted isn’t who you thought they were. A couple in North Dakota found this out the hard way. 4 – After these first three steps, now is the time you should see how the potential sitter reacts to your children. You could have a trial period where the candidate visits your home and spends some time with your children, allowing both you and the children some time to work out whether it is the right match. 5 – The final step, once you have chosen your candidate, is to confirm the agreement. While it doesn’t seem necessary to have an employment contract for a babysitter it saves on complications later down the line, especially when you are looking for someone to fill a full-time role. So before you make such an important decision as to who you will be leaving your kids with, take all the necessary steps to ensure that the decision is the right one. This is a situation in which it is never, ever a good idea to take risks.]]>