how to match make with a new babysitter
Think of interviewing as a two way process, not only for you to get to know your babysitter, but also for her (or him but I shall say her throughout) to find out about your family and household. use the time wisely. Put yourself in the babysitter's shoes: you'd rather work for a friendly well organised family than one who is all over the place (your babysitter wants to know you’ll remember to pay her!)
For interviews, choose a quiet corner of your home: without your children if possible to start off with. Either pick nap time, ask a friend to come round to entertain them, or failing that, put them in front of a dvd while you get some quiet time to concentrate. Offer the sitter something to drink (if they’re a bit nervous they might welcome a glass of water). This will all help the babysitter to relax and concentrate on showing you her best side and in finding out about you - and it shows that you respect her and her time.
While babysitters are often hired on a night-to-night basis, they still require a thorough interview process. It's important to cover all of the questions you want to ask and it’s often best to write them down. You might want to include the following:
Are you available on short notice?
Have you worked as a babysitter or nanny before?
What ages have you cared for?
Have you cared for children with (fill in special need/chronic condition)?
Have you completed any training courses, NVQ’s or babysitting course? Do you know child or infant CPR and first aid? What would you do if my child was choking (or what would you do if she had an accident, eg fell off the climbing frame?)? What is your comfort level with cooking and preparing meals for kids (ask them to be honest!) if you want them to prepare meals/snacks? Are you comfortable with bathing the children and bedtime routines? What experience do you have with this?