How to Find a Babysitter

By Michele Blandino

Finding a babysitter these days is no small task. It wasn’t that long ago that babysitting was the employment of choice for most girls in the 13 – 18 age group. Unfortunately, times have changed; today’s teenagers are so busy with sports, school activities, part-time jobs and being with friends that they don’t have the time – or interest – to make some extra money on a Saturday night.

So, does that mean you need to resign yourself to spending Saturday nights at home until your children are old enough to stay home alone for a few hours? Not necessarily. There are still plenty of teenagers out there interested in babysitting. You just need to know where to find them. Here are a few places you can look:

• Friends & Neighbors: Find out who does their babysitting and, assuming they are happy with the care their children receive, ask if you can call the babysitter for your children. Be sure to ask if it’s ok with your friend/neighbor first; some people can be fairly territorial about their babysitters and are reluctant to share them with others. You can also ask your friends or their babysitter if they know of other teenagers interested in babysitting.
• Local High Schools: Many high schools have Early Childhood Development classes for students interested in working with children. Contact the school and ask to speak with one of the program’s instructors. Let the instructor know that you are looking for a babysitter and ask that she have one or two of her better students get in touch you. Students in these courses generally have a genuine interest in children and so, chances are you will find a terrific young person to help you with your children.
• Places of Worship: Similar to high schools, many places of worship have programs for young children that are staffed in part by teenagers. Ask the director of these programs if she knows of any teenagers who are interested in babysitting.

Once you find a potential babysitter, invite him or her to spend a few hours with your children while you busy yourself with household tasks. Without being too obvious, observe how the babysitter interacts with your kids and just as importantly, how your kids interact with the babysitter. If you appear to have a good match, leave them alone for a short time, and then increase the duration of your absence until you are comfortable leaving them for longer periods.

A final word of advice: once you find a babysitter you are comfortable with, be sure to use them on a regular basis. If they know they can count on you for regular work, you will be able to count on them.