Babysitters need to be chosen carefully

A BIG mistake many parents make when engaging a babysitter is to prioritise availability — is the sitter available every Saturday night or at short notice? 

Instead, parents’ primary focus should be on whether the babysitter is in sync with their parenting style and attitudes to childrearing.

“Matching personality and attitudes is the key to successful long-term arrangements with babysitters,” says Josephine Ryan, owner of Minderfinders (www.minderfinders.ie), which matches suitably-experienced babysitters with families.

“Any routine in the home is important for the child — it instils order,” says Ryan, who recommends parents spend half of the initial interview asking the babysitter’s opinion on various child-related issues to see if you’re a ‘match’.

Ask questions like ‘if my child wakes and is upset during the night looking for me, how would you deal with it?’ Or: ‘if he refuses to brush his teeth before bedtime, how would you deal with that?’ You should be comfortable with the sitter’s answers, says Ryan. “Having a babysitter should be a fun experience for the child — it should also be consistent with parents’ rules and routines.”

She advises parents to observe how the babysitter engages with the children on first meeting. Ryan suggests focusing the second half of an interview on information the parent needs the sitter to know for a successful arrangement.

“Tell [babysitter] what you need — routine, house rules, what children are used to.” Don’t shy away from detail — what snacks are allowed if the child has just had dinner? What’s the latest time children are allowed to eat or play outside? Are they expected to put their toys away before going to bed? Are they allowed screen time before bed? Do they have a bedtime story?

“Give a detailed breakdown of the bedtime routine,” recommends Ryan. “If a child’s used to having dim light in their room at night, they’ll be horrified if they’re expected to go to sleep in the dark.”

Ryan urges parents to provide babysitters with information on vital aspects of children’s lives. For example, if Mum and Dad are separated, the sitter should be told what to say if the child asks for the parent who lives away. “It’s important the babysitter is on the same page as the parent — delivering the same information as opposed to personal opinion.”

Parent, child and babysitter are likely to have a better experience if the parent lays the cards on the table from the start — once the correct personality match exists in the first place.

Top tips

* Speak to families with whom the babysitter has already worked.

* Establish with these families the reliability and flexibility of the babysitter.

* Establish how suitable babysitter is to your family life and parenting style.

* Outline in detail what you expect from babysitter.