What to Look for in a Babysitter Beyond Experience
You’re looking through babysitter resumes and it seems like you found the perfect candidate due to their years of childcare experience and certifications, but how do you know they’re really the best babysitter? That is only the beginning of the search. While experience is important, it’s not the only thing you should look for in one. Set up interviews with the candidates so that you can understand them and see if they possess other important qualities. Here is a list of what to look for in a babysitter when looking beyond experience.
A Love for Children
While this may seem obvious, many people who get into childcare do not actually like to be around children. Your potential babysitter should love children and genuinely want to be around them to watch them and help educate them into brighter beings. While children have their moments and they are not always pleasant, a babysitter should not harp on that fact for too long.
Time Management
You need to gauge your potential babysitters’ time management skills. If they are late to an interview, it could be a bad sign, but hear them out on the reason for their tardiness. When you’re getting a babysitter, they need to be aware of the time. If you need to leave at a certain time, you want your babysitter to be there so you can leave.
Time management also includes prioritizing tasks based on urgency and need such as changing a messy diaper, while they let the toys sit on the floor for just a little longer. Babysitters should also have a good plan for the day and schedule or easily adhere to yours so that children have playtime and dinner at the right times.
Patience
As a parent, you know how important patience is when taking care of children, and some kids require more patience than others. Someone could work with children, but if they have little or no patience, they should not be your babysitter. A babysitter should be patient and listen to your child, especially when first getting to know them. Remember that a babysitter will be a new person in your children’s lives. If they were to snap at your children, it could be scary. Instead, they need to be patient which will greatly increase the relationship and trust between you, your babysitter, and children.
Compassion
While similar to patience, your babysitter also needs to have compassion. A potential babysitter should treat people kindly, encourage your children if they feel down or need a little boost, and thank them when they do as they are told.
Your babysitter should care deeply about others, not just you and your child, and hear a call to action to help. While compassion towards your children is a necessity, children learn by seeing. By observing compassion and empathy, your child is more likely to learn these qualities. If they often see your babysitter treating others coldly, they will pick up on those actions.
Leadership
Any babysitter you hire needs to possess strong leadership skills. While still having patience and compassion, they need to command your child when it is time to switch gears. If your babysitter lets your children walk all over them, then what is the point of hiring someone to watch them and keep them in check? When alone with your children, the babysitter is in charge. Both they and your children need to be aware of that fact. If it’s time to stop watching TV, your babysitter cannot be so easily convinced by your children for one more show.
Leadership does not only mean your babysitter needs to be strict because that’s not always the case. They should be able to make decisions on their own and think for themself if you are not available, communicate with you as much as necessary or give you as many updates as you’d like, and create new opportunities for your children. This can be fun new games, meals, or activities to keep your children engaged throughout the day or night you are gone.
Attention to Detail
Last but definitely not least, your babysitter should pay great attention to detail, such as dangers and abnormal behavior. Something very small may go unnoticed by the wrong person. If an emergency were to happen, your babysitter needs to catch it immediately before the situation worsens and they need to have safety skills. Dangers can appear in all shapes and sizes, such as fire, choking hazards, and sharp corners while abnormal behaviors can include undereating, overeating, and strange breathing. A good babysitter will notice small things like this right away and do their best to keep the child safe, whether it is taking action to prevent accidents, calling you, or emergency services.
These are the top qualities a babysitter should possess to be a good babysitter. Even if one has years of experience, lacking any of these qualities could make them a bad choice for you and your family. However, always use your best judgment to make the right decision for you and your children.