Help Your Babysitter Prepare for Anything

Everyday activities keep many parents so busy that they can't take their children with them everywhere.

That makes it key to find the right babysitter and make sure that the sitter can be entrusted with your child.

When you're looking for a babysitter, give yourself enough time to be choosy. You should:

• Look for a sitter within your circle of friends, faith community, or neighborhood.

• Look for a sitter who is age 13 or older and mature enough to handle basic household emergencies.

• Look for someone who has experience working with children.

• Have the sitter spend time with you before babysitting to meet the children and learn their routines. 

• Always check references.

Safe Sitter, a national organization devoted to training teens to become safe babysitters, strongly recommends that the sitter have had some babysitting training. This should include what to do if a child starts to choke, basic first aid, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

Parents must also make sure that their home is a safe environment and has first aid supplies.

To make sure your sitter is ready for any situation that arises and knows how to get help, give the sitter this checklist for use in an emergency:

• Family name:

• Phone number:

• Address, with clear directions on how to locate your house

• Children's names and ages:

• Children's allergies, health history, and daily medicines: 

• Phone number where parent or guardian will be:

• Address where parent or guardian can be reached:

• Cell phone numbers:

• Neighbor's name and phone number:

• Local relative's name and phone number:

• Local emergency phone number:

• Healthcare provider's name:

• Healthcare provider's phone number:

• Insurance name and number:

• Poison control center:

• Police:

• Ambulance:

• Fire department:

• What time you will be home:

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests that, if your child is close to age 12, the sitter should be quite a bit older. This will help your child to see the sitter as being old enough to have authority. The AAP also suggests that, in addition to checking references, you also speak with the sitter's parents before hiring them so you can get a sense of how the teenager handles responsibility.

Show the sitter where the first aid supplies are kept and leave a first aid chart for easy reference. If your child takes medicines, write the name of the medicine down with specific instructions on how much to give, how to give it, and how to get your child's cooperation. The safest method is to pre-measure the medicine and then make certain all medicines are out of the children's reach.

Show your sitter the house and point out all entrances and exits, fire and burglar alarms, flashlights, and off-limits areas. Discuss exits in case of a fire and escape routines you may have practiced with your children. Remind the sitter that if there is a fire the children should be taken outside before calling 911.

As you leave, lock all doors and windows. Close blinds and curtains if it is after dark. Don't make arrangements for any deliveries while you are gone (including food). Tell the sitter not to go to the door and let anyone in, even if someone knocks. Reassure the sitter that it's OK to call you if anything unusual or concerning happens.

Make sure the sitter is clear on your "house rules" about what can be watched on TV, visitors, telephone use, smoking or drinking, and taking your child outside.

Taking the time to find the right sitter will let you enjoy your out-of-home activity with minimal worries about your child.