Traits that a Good Babysitter Should Have
When you hire a babysitter, you are often taking into your home a stranger. You only have her references and the interview as bases for judging her capabilities. But is she a warm and caring person? Will care for your child as her own kin?
Know What You Want in a Babysitter
Ideally, a baby-sitter should bring along her babysitting skills acquired from her previous employments. This is a basic requirement for parents like you who want their children in the hands of a capable and responsible babysitter. Yet, there may be nagging questions about the traits of a great babysitter such as:
• AGE – A teen-aged or middle-aged babysitter may not be suitable for you. Do you want college-aged or a babysitter in her late thirties or early forties?
• GENDER – do you prefer a female or a male babysitter?
• WILLINGNESS TO RUN ERRANDS – do you want a baby-sitter to do some occasional errands?
• APPEARANCE – should the baby-sitter be free from tattoos, nose rings, and pierced lips? Do you prefer the old-fashioned nanny?
• LANGUAGE – are you particular about her/his English?
• ADDITIONAL TASKS – is he/she willing to take on cooking for the children?
• EDUCATION – must she/he be a middle-school or high-school graduate?
• PHYSICAL HEALTH – hearing and eyesight should be near perfect and she/he must be able to cope with the dally stress.
• MENTAL HEALTH – this should not be dismissed; have your prospective nanny evaluated if she is mentally fit for the task ahead.
• CRIMINAL RECORD – would you still approve of her if she had a traffic violation?
Perhaps you want a nanny to be a warm person, someone who can be patient with hysterical, naughty, or sickly children. Can she handle a trying situation without losing her wits and temper? Is she the friendly and courteous sort? Is she creative with games?
The requirement can be more stringent and the list much longer. But before you take on that stringent list of must-bes and must-haves, be honest. These are traits that you as parent cannot fill up perfectly, so be realistic.
Other Necessary Requirements
The baby-sitter must be able to fill in your shoes during times of emergencies. She must be able to drive and have a license – in case there is a need to rush the baby to a hospital and she must not only be well-informed about first aid and CPR but must know how to do them correctly during a frenzied emergency.
Is she neat and orderly? After a day’s frolicking with the children, she must put things in order. You will know this after a week or two. If she remains consistent with all of your expectations, you have a great nanny in your household.
It won’t help if you have to worry endlessly about the nanny while you are away. She must be someone you can trust with the lives and safety of your children and if you want to be honest about it – your valuables. It may take awhile before the foundation of trust and respect can be developed and strengthened. It is your game to give your nanny her due – respect and appreciation. Respecting and appreciating your nanny makes her feel good about herself and how she does her job; what comes around goes around, so to speak.
If you look at our review of the best babysitter services, you’ll find the ones that offer the best services such as full background checks, references, a full profile with all experience, qualifications and desired pay. You’ll also be given the opportunity to perform interviews and read reviews by previous customers. If you want to ensure you get the right person, this is one of the best ways to do it.