After all the grunt work, screening, interviews, and micro decision-making, you finally made a big decision. You have finally hired a sitter. Congratulations! It’s been quite a ride.
However, the hiring process is just a part of the journey. Now it’s time for the post-hiring journey.
Now that your sitter is starting, you need to let her know of certain rules and expectations within your home. She needs to know all that way before she even starts working for you.
It’s truly important that you become transparent with the babysitter. If you call it setting expectations, then go ahead and call it as such. The point is that you have to clear out certain things with the babysitter.
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So a few days before she starts, meet up with her and brief her. This is also a good way for you to break the ice so that the two of you won’t have to feel so uncomfortable on the initial day of duty.
It’s truly important that you become transparent with the babysitter. If you call it setting expectations, then go ahead and call it as such. The point is that you have to clear out certain things with the babysitter.
Even if you think you have found the best babysitter in the world, you always need to clear things out with her.
You can never assume that she knows exactly what you want. She may know exactly what to do but not exactly what you want. So sit down with her and set things out clearly.
Here are some matters that you might like to discuss with her.
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5. Tutoring
You have just hired a babysitter. Does that mean she should also tutor your kid? Your new babysitter can definitely help with your kid’s homework. She’s the perfect go-to person when you’re not around. The question is this. Does she know that she should tutor your child as well?
The babysitter isn’t a mind reader. Even if she’s wonderful and all, she should be given a clear-cut list of tasks to do.
Some parents don’t want other people to tutor their kids. If you’re like one of these folks, then make sure to tell your new babysitter that she doesn’t need to tutor your kids. Don’t let this be a cause of misunderstanding between the two of you.
4. Payment
This should be crystal clear from the start. Payment includes details such as the following. How much you’re going to pay her, mode of payment, and the exact date of payment. It’s also important to take up taxes. This area might be a little too tedious since you need some vital information on standard babysitting rates.
This should be crystal clear from the start. Payment includes details such as the following. How much you’re going to pay her, mode of payment, and the exact date of payment.
Sittercity.com is a good resource for you. This is not just a website that can connect you to babysitters.
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The information posted on this babysitting website is something you can make good use of. As matter of fact, Sittercity.com has a list of standard babysitting rates. This is the kind of information you need to make sure you’re within the standard babysitting rate. Related Read: How do people feel about Sittercity services
3. Duty Time
You don’t want a babysitter who comes in late and leaves early, right? You certainly don’t want a babysitter who makes a no show. You should be clear about duty time most especially if you have just hired a regular babysitter.
Duty time not only covers her reporting time and the number of hours she has to work. Duty time also covers certain rules.
Duty time not only covers her reporting time and the number of hours she has to work. Duty time also covers certain rules. For example, you want to make it clear to her that she’s not supposed to be on her phone while she’s watching your kids. Duty time is spent looking after your kids and not spent on the phone.
2. Feeding Time
A newly hired babysitter wouldn’t really know the feeding time of your kids. Although a professional babysitter would usually ask about it, it’s best you take it up with her immediately.
This is also a good time for you to take up the kinds of foods your kids aren’t supposed to be eating. List down the foods that you allow your kids to eat.
Your newly hired babysitter wouldn’t know any of these unless you tell her upfront. This is crucial information most especially if one of your kids has a food allergy. So inform your newly hired babysitter. She will never know until you tell her. Related Read: How does Sittercity compare to Care.com in caring for your children?
1. Sleeping Time
It’s important that the kids are in bed at a certain time. Kids need all the sleep that they can get. So the earlier they’re in bed, the better.
This could be an issue when the babysitter is around and you’re not. To avoid such issue, you need to inform your newly hired babysitter about the sleeping time of the kids. This way, your kids won’t think it’s always better with the babysitter. So make sure the babysitter implements the same house rules.
You need to let her know of certain rules and regulations within your home. She needs to know all that way before she even starts working for you.
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After some time, your newly hired babysitter will know certain things. However, you shouldn’t rely on the fact that your babysitter will soon figure things out.
These days, you will find a lot of babysitters who don’t mind doing other things. As a matter of fact, Sittercity.com even has a great database of hybrid babysitters. Related Read: Get instant savings on caring for your child by using the Sittercity promo offer
These are the ones who not only babysit kids. They also clean up the house and do other things. It would really be an advantage to you if you were upfront with your newly hired babysitters, most especially with the five things mentioned above.
Do you have other tips on what else should be crystal clear from the start? Come on and share them.
A nerd at heart (haha), I have been following and analyzing the world of online sitters for a couple of years now and have seen a lot of innovations and changes in this market. In between taking care of my loving (and demanding 😜) family and writing, I also do a lot of “traveling” on the Travel Channel and Discovery Channel. Read More
I always make it clear that selfies are strictly not allowed during babysitting hours. I do not allow the babysitter to take selfies with my kids. She is also not allowed to post or to say anything about me and my family online.
I don’t think it’s right to assume that the babysitter knows what to do because at some point, she will do something that’s going to disappoint you. She’s bound to screw up if she doesn’t have a a set of guidelines to follow. Even if she’s a professional babysitter, she’s bound to do something that’s going to irritate you because you did not tell her what to do. You have to let her know what you want and how you want things to be in your home.