Your Child’s Age and Your Choice of Babysitters

The first thing you should look at when choosing a babysitter is her personality. Don’t just look at her resume and consider her suitable. Meet with her face-to-face and observe her overall demeanor. Sometimes, it’s not enough that she has all the necessary requirements, such as training, work experience and references. Some babysitters have personality that can rub your children the wrong way.
One reason for this may be the way she deals with your child. There are some sitters who are great with middle school level kids but not with toddlers. Here are some more tips on how to find a babysitter according to how old your child is.

If you have a newborn at home, it may not be a good idea to hire a pre-teen or a teenager to care for your baby. Teenagers are less aware of the magnitude of responsibility involved in taking care of an infant. There are some exceptions, of course. Maybe the sitter has a lot of younger siblings she took care of herself. But it’s best to hire an adult if you want proper care for your baby. Hire one who has gone through training in infant care.

If your child is a toddler, the ideal babysitter is a person with a lot of energy. A young adult or someone in her late teens would be ideal. She must be able to keep up with your kids. A person who’s too timid to impose herself will have a hard time dealing with toddlers. At the same time, someone who’s listless or easily fatigued won’t do either.

If your child is going to school, hire a sitter who can talk to your child about school. It’s important that she’s naturally creative and eager to answer questions. Any age of babysitter will do, but if the sitter is too young, your child might have a hard time seeing the sitters as an authority figure. The babysitter must know how to initiate activities and spark your child’s interest.

Insist on conducting an interview when choosing your babysitter. Body language as well as manner of speaking will convey an individual’s personality and disposition more than a piece of paper.