Questions for a new Babysitter

Are you trying to find a new sitter?  Are you trying to figure out some good questions to ask?  Everybody's situation is always a little different but maybe my questions will help you out.

We have 3 amazing sitters for our children, but lately, they lead really busy lives!  We struggle to find one that is available so that we can go out for a date night.  The hardest part is that we usually decide last minute that we want to go out, but our sitters are usually not free.  

Up until now, we knew all our sitters, either through schools/daycares that our kids have gone too, through friend recommendations, or kids in our neighborhood.  We're just not having good luck lately though, so I decided to look on Care.com.  Before I had kids, I had found nanny/babysitting jobs for myself on there.  Now, on the other side, I realize how scary it can be to basically invite a stranger in to watch your children.  

I feel like we are a pretty good judge of character when it comes to people we trust with our kids, so I'm hoping after our initial questions for potential sitters, and then meeting them face to face, we will have good candidates to watch our little rascals.  

Before we get to the meeting face to face part, though, we have a few questions for them to maybe help narrow down the list that responded to my ad.  

1.  What is your availability?  Are you available on short notice? 

• We are looking for someone who is available most weekends and possibly some week nights.  We are also looking for someone who is available last minute, as in a day before, or maybe even the same day!

2.   Tell me about your experience with children.  What ages have you watched and how many at once?  What are your certifications if you have any?

3.  How can I get a hold of you the quickest.  Do you use FB messenger or iPhone messenger regularly and respond quickly?

4.  How is your computer literacy, especially on a Mac?

• We do not have regular TV.  We are okay with the kids watching movies while they are up, as well as the sitter watching movies from our collection when the kids are asleep.  Our TV is our computer though, so it is necessary that you can navigate easily.  

5.  Are you okay with Pets?

• We have a dog so if there are allergies that may be a problem. 

6.  What is your experience with discipline.  Have you ever had to handle a child throwing a tantrum?

• We are very strict with our kids and do not let them get away with much.  Our kids WILL walk all over a new sitter if she is too quiet and shy. 

7.  What is your experience with toddlers in regards to diapers and potty training?

8.  Are you okay with making simple meals for dinner?

9.  What do you like to do in your free time?

Hopefully these questions will give us a good understanding of who these girls are, and the way they would be with our kids.  We'll be able to narrow them down and have a few come over to meet the kids and go from there.  

Do you think I should tell them that I'll already have Christmas decorations up in the second week of November?  Nah....I'll let them witness that we're a little crazy first hand!