Babysitter checklist

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A babysitter checklist can help bring you peace of mind when you need to leave your small children with a sitter.

• If you have found a wonderful sitter, pay her well and make sure she knows you appreciate her. That will keep her saying "yes" to your requests for babysitting.





• Here is a babysitter checklist I put together for you to use in your home. Click on the link and the babysitter checklist will open into a separate window. Save it to your computer and print out a fresh copy whenever you need one.
• Feel free to share this babysitter checklist with other moms you know who could use it, too.
  

See below the babysitter checklist for additional tips on how to make working with your babysitter a breeze.

Using your babysitter checklist

• Fill out this babysitter checklist with your children's information and your contact information. Then slip it into a plastic sleeve. Use a dry erase marker to customize it each time you need it.
  

Tips to communicating well with your babysitter using a babysitter checklist and your good instincts.

• Consider having a test-sit.
  A test-sit is when you have your potential babysitter come to your home and watch your children while you're still in the home. She should be completely responsible for the children while you do work somewhere else in the house. Don't hover over the kids while your potential babysitter is test-sitting! Let her do her job and you observe occasionally and subtly in the background. This is also a great way for your children to get to know their new sitter in a comfortable setting, especially if they're very young.
  
  
• Show your babysitter where you put the babysitter checklist and instruct her on it's use. You both will feel more comfortable knowing everyone is understanding the rules and is up-to-date on safety procedures.
  
  
• My number one rule with babysitters is to pay them well if you are satisfied with their services. Remember, you are asking someone to care for your most precious treasures. Would you leave your car with just anyone? Your kids are far, far more valuable than your car!
  
  
• Look for a sitter who will play with your kids and interact...not just watch TV.
  
  
• Set boundaries with your babysitter and make sure the expectations are clear. For our family that means no cell phones, no texting, no internet. It also means only TV that is child-friendly (we approve first). No babysitter friends over. Babysitting your children is a serious job and you should expect a serious attitude from your sitter.
  
  
• Some situations you just can't put on your babysitter checklist! We had a negative experience once many years ago with a babysitter who showed up and thought a babysitting job meant she could ignore the kids and smoke in our home (while clumsily trying to hide it). So be upfront and just ask your new babysitter. "Do you smoke?" Lay out expectations clearly. "Do not smoke while you're working for us."
  
  
• Do listen to your kids and what they say about their babysitter. As an adult, you can filter out the irrelevant and the trivial. They will likely tell you anything your babysitter did that was different from what they are used to. The fact that she likes peanut butter on her ice cream and they've never seen that before is fine. The fact that she cussed at them or told them they couldn't come out of their rooms for the whole evening is not fine.
  
  
• A babysitter checklist is just the beginning of ensuring safety for your child. Most hospitals have babysitter classes available for young teens or preteens. While a certification is not mandatory, it's a good indication your potential sitter cared enough about her job possibilities and responsibilities to get some training. So a babysitter certification is definitely a plus.
  
  
• Of course, hands down, the best way to find a new babysitter is through personal recommendation. Ask other moms you know whom they use and like for their babysitting needs. If you're new to an area, ask at your local church or place of worship, or at the YMCA.
  
  
• Keep in mind that mothering is difficult enough when you are all grown up. Be sensitive to the fact that most babysitters are young and at least somewhat inexperienced (especially compared to you!). Expect a babysitter to keep your children safe and happy for a few hours...not necessarily someone who has a Ph.D in parenting skills and values education. Like most things in life, keep a balance here, too.

• An occasional bonus of cash or a small gift (like a gift card) can convey how much you appreciate your young babysitter's efforts to care for your kids. Frankly, if you don't believe your babysitter deserves a regular bonus...you either need a new babysitter or a new attitude (smiles!).





• One more thing...do find a babysitter you trust and can depend on so you can go out on dates with your spouse or just take some time off once in awhile. Every mom needs time off from her kids to be healthy. Use this babysitter checklist as a reminder to budget for babysitting or form a babysitting co-op with other parents who are also strapped for cash. Just do it!

Colleen Langenfeld is a mother with 25 years of parenting experience and helps other busy moms at http://www.paintedgold.com.