So you’ve decided to take some mommy and daddy time. You deserve it! You work hard as parents absolutely need to be adults together. Of course, you probably have some reservations: Am I leaving my baby with the right person?
Follow these suggestions to keep your night on the town stress-free:
When family is not an option for babysitting, the next best place to start looking is through referrals. Ask friends who they like. Churches and schools can have good recommendations, and local community centers sometimes offer courses in babysitting which include CPR and minor first aid training.
Once you have found a few potential sitters, call their references. Compare rates, but don’t necessarily go with the cheapest: sometimes the peace of mind for a better sitter is worth a little more. Interview the ones you like. Ask if they are CPR certified and trained in first aid for minor emergencies. See what they would do in potential scenarios and make sure they are on the same page with your discipline style. Invite a couple of potential sitters over to play with your child for 20-30 minutes.
Include your kids in preparation for the arrival of the sitter. Children don’t like to be caught off-guard, so knowing what is going to happen will help them to enjoy the time that you are gone. If they are old enough, have them pick out some games and activities to play with the sitter.
When you have chosen the right babysitter and the big day arrives, it is a good idea to have them arrive early to play with your kids. This will warm the kids and sitter up to one another. Take this extra time to go over the house rules and information on how to get a hold of you. Be very organized with the sitter, including the phone numbers to reach you being easily accessible, the routine being very clear (especially with bedtimes), and where everything is kept.
While it will be different for a child to have a new person taking care of them, it is often just as awkward for a new parent to leave their Little Angel. Finding just the right person to care for them will make it much easier for everyone, and allow parents to spend time enjoying an evening celebrating each other.
Image Source: flickr.com/photos/yourdon/2683318998
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