3 Things to Think About When Hiring a Sitter

Hiring a sitter for the first time can be very nerve wracking - I get it. When I hired my first sitter, I was a basket of nerves, but in the end, it all worked out, thanks to a few tips and tricks that I made sure to think about and incorporate. If you are in the same situation as me, here are a few things that you need to think about when hiring a sitter to make sure that your experience is seamless -- 

Who Is This Person?

First of all, who is this person? Do you know them, or have others recommended them to you? Did you find them in a babysitting group or on Care.com? Maybe you randomly came across them at church, at a coffee shop, or a neighborhood store? No matter how you came across the person, you need to know who they actually are. Sure, maybe they are CPR certified and look professional, but sometimes people are not as they seem. That’s why I HIGHLY recommend getting a background check done on the person that you are leaving alone with your kids. 

If you are not sure where to start, then I highly recommend talking with Bob Cowan from Cowan Investigations because he is a private investigator that you can trust, based out of New Jersey. Bob Cowan is the former Chief of the Jersey City Police Department. “Throughout his thirty-five-year career, Bob worked the streets of Jersey City during nights, weekends and holidays. More often than not, if Bob was not the first officer at the scene of crimes or major incidents he was called to the scene in order to make clear and informed decisions in all kinds of incidents while gathering all available information. Bob was the primary and final decision maker in a myriad of incidents such as: domestic violence, child abuse, child endangerment, child custody in addition to overseeing investigations of shootings, aggravated assaults, robberies and narcotics complaints in New Jersey’s second largest municipality.” When you work with him, you will not only get his experience when it comes to investigation, but you will also get the experience from others on his team such as retired Jersey City Police Captain Joe Ascolese and Deputy Chief Tom Cowan (Ret). In addition to running background checks, Cowan Investigations can also a private investigator for infidelity in NJ. Their team serves New Jersey 24/7 and offers a 30 minute complimentary consultation that you should definitely take advantage of.

How Much Experience Do They Have?

After you figure out if they are trustworthy, then you can make sure they have enough experience. If you are wanting someone to take care of your newborn, they probably need a bit more experience compared to someone who is taking care of a ten year old. They would know how to properly bottle feed (especially if you are using pumped milk), they would have to know how to change a diaper, put down a newborn, and also keep a newborn entertained and content. There really is so much that goes into it and you do not want to trust that everyone and anyone knows how to do it all properly. When you are checking to see how much experience they have, I highly recommend asking questions. For example, if safe sleep is important to you, ask if they know what position is considered safe. Do you lay an infant down on their stomach, side, or back? Also, make sure to check with their references!

What Do They Need To Know?

Last but not least, before hiring someone, make sure you make a list of everything that they need to know. It’s easy to forget something, so go about your normal day with your baby and write things down as you go along. That is the easiest way to ensure that you do not forget anything at all when it comes to your list. Write down the things that they like, the things that are essential, and ‘in case of emergency’ items, as well. If you are allowing them to give medication, write down the dosage and their doctors information.

There are quite a few things that you need to think about when hiring a sitter, but these are just three of the most important things that I thought about my first time utilizing someone else. I hope these helped you!

Photo by Daria Shevtsova from Pexels