Questions to Ask Babysitter Applicants

If you want to find baby sitter applicants, then you are in luck as they can be found almost everywhere. The real trouble is in finding the baby sitter who is just right for your family. One way to discover a good sitter is to conduct a comprehensive interview with applicants.

Finding a Great Babysitter: What to Ask

You personal list of questions to ask babysitter applicants will probably grow, but you can use these as a starting point. You need to cover a few categories: experience, knowledge, temperament, history. Some of this information will be obtained from the applicant herself, and some from references. But all of these need to be asked, and verified if need be, because you are placing the life of your child in the hands of this person whom you may not know at all.

Experience:

Why are you a babysitter?
How long have you been a babysitter?
How old were the other children you cared for?
Why did you leave your previous job?
Do you have any formal education in early childhood development or training in childcare?

Knowledge:

Do you have CPR and first-aid training?
How would you………(Random situation questions)
Do you know how to prepare food and / or formula ?
How do you……….(Random know-how questions)?

Logistics

Find out if the babysitter is available to work when you need her. If you especially like a particular candidate and you can be flexible on the start date, let her know.

Do you want a live-in arrangement?
When can you start working?
Are you willing to do light chores while children are napping? If so, which ones?
Do you drive?
Will you ever be available to work evenings or weekends?
Will you be available to travel with our family on weekend trips or vacations?

Temperament:

How would you describe your approach to discipline ?
What would you do if………..(Questions surrounding your child’s behavior)
What was the most infuriating situation you ever came across ?
How did you handle it ?
What activities do you enjoy doing with kids ?

History:

Do you have any contactable references ?
Do you mind if I call them ?
Do you mind if I do a background check ?

Lastly:

Is there anything else you want to add, concerning you capabilities ?
Is there anything else, good or bad, that I should know about ?

When you do contact the given references, find out about the prospective babysitter’s temperament, her sense of responsibility, her communication with children, and most importantly, her ability to follow instructions, and to react to a situation.

These are the most basic questions to ask babysitter applicants. You con expand on these questions to include special concerns and circumstances, but getting answers to these questions will give you a basic idea of who you are dealing with.