The skills of a babysitter are important. You rely a lot on them to see if the babysitter is the right fit for you.
The list of skills of a babysitter should be the first thing you consider when they’re scouting for someone to watch their kids.
Sometimes that could be hard especially if you have no idea what those skills are. If you are a busy parent, you might not even have all the time to figure out what the skills of a babysitter are. You just want a babysitter and they just want her to show up.
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That should never be the case. No matter how busy you are, you should know what the skills of a babysitter are or at least know what you’re looking for. To help you out, here are 10 cool skills of a babysitter every parent would love.
Table Of Contents
10. She Is Reliable
Reliability counts and it counts a lot especially when you’re looking at the list of skills of a babysitter. Just like any parent, you want a babysitter who is very reliable.
Can you rely on her at all times? Even at times when you need her at a short notice? That’s not all that counts when you’re looking for a reliable babysitter. Reliability means she can be counted on in case there’s an emergency. It’s, definitely, one of the many skills of a babysitter that you would definitely love.
9. She Has A Solid Childcare Experience
Babysitting is a tough job but most parents take it for granted. They think anyone can just babysit their kids but that’s not true.
One important thing you should add to the list of skills of a babysitter is her years of solid experience in childcare. How long has she been babysitting? The longer she has been babysitting, the better for you. This means you have more chances of getting reviews and references from other parents.
It’s not just the years of service that counts, you also have to look at her various skills in handling kids. Can she handle kids with special needs? This is one cool thing to add to the list of skills of a babysitter.
8. She Is Responsible
She should be responsible enough to show up on time or at least, let you know in advance if she can’t make it. This way, you have enough time to look for another babysitter.
7. She Is Capable Of Teaching Your Child
Teaching is a skill. It requires patience, lots and lots of it. Not everybody can teach and if you can find a babysitter who can do just that, then you’re one lucky person.
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Nowadays, the ability and willingness to teach is added to the list of skills of a babysitter. Wouldn’t it be cool to have a babysitter who can watch and teach your kid at the same time?
6. She Can Speak A Second Language
These days, it’s not too much to ask for a babysitter who knows how to speak a second language. As a matter of, a lot of parents are seeking babysitters who have this cool skill of speaking another language.
According to Parents.com, more parents are joining the bilingual bandwagon since they have realized how much their kids can benefit from it. One practical way of joining the bilingual bandwagon is by hiring a babysitter who speaks a second language. Be it Spanish or French, it’s totally up to you to choose which language you want your kids to be exposed to. Fact is, it’s undeniable that speaking another language is something cool to add to the list of skills of a babysitter.
5. She Knows How To Entertain Kids
Kids want to have fun. They don’t want to get bored. The babysitter should see to it that they’re entertained. This doesn’t mean that she is going to allow the kids to sit in front of the television or play games on their gadgets the whole day.
These days, a babysitter should know how to entertain kids by coming up with her own ways to keep them active. It takes a special skill to do this. The good news is that you can find a babysitter who has this skill. This is, definitely, something you should add to your list of skills of a babysitter.
4. She Knows Her Place
Some babysitters make that crucial mistake of crossing the line. They become very familiar with you that they cross the line. They talk back to you, give their own unwanted opinions, or even worse, discipline your kid. That’s not the kind of babysitter you need.
You need one who knows her place. She knows exactly where to draw the line. Since that line is invisible, it takes a special skill to see it.
3. She Communicates Well
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Communication is a crucial component in hiring a babysitter. According to Knoji.com, there should be an open communication between you and the babysitter. This is the only way you and the babysitter can set expectations.
If you and the babysitter can’t set expectations, there will be a lot of misunderstanding between the two of you. That could cause some friction and you don’t want that to happen.
2. She Is Playful And Friendly
There are times when you might overlook the skills of a babysitter. You might be too busy looking for other skills that you forget that she should be playful and friendly to start with.
It takes a special skill to be playful and friendly. Not all babysitters can be both. Some can be really professional but they’re not that playful and friendly. You wouldn’t want your kids to be frightened the whole time you’re away, would you?
1. She Has Life-Saving Certifications
You wouldn’t mind having a babysitter who has the skill to save lives. It would also be an added layer of safety if she were certified to do it, right?
This is the most important skill to add to your list. Feel free to add it because, nowadays, it’s very easy to find a babysitter who has life-saving certifications.
Just keep your fingers crossed that she never gets to use this skill while she’s babysitting your child. Nonetheless, it tops the list of skills of a babysitter.
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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
It would also be ideal if the sitter has a list of activities, that not only entertains the kids but teaches them as well. There was a sitter that I once hired and she had the most amazing list of activities for my kids. They not only had fun but learned along the way as well. It was one of those rare moments that they were without their gadgets.
Professional sitters undergo some kind of First Aid training to boost their chances of employment. That’s good for us parents but we also have to check how long ago they had their training. From what I understand, First Aid training is done on a yearly basis. So, it’s not enough that they did it once.
We have been hiring the same sitter from Sittercity for the past two years and she is awesome. She has taught my kids a little Spanish (She learned it from school) and she’s a joy to have around. We treat her like family so I don’t have to worry about her knowing her place.