I'm a professional nanny: Here are 5 things I never do when hiring a babysitter
Moms and dads in need of childcare, especially in a jiffy, may forget a few important details that can make "Parents Night Out" a success for everyone.
Enter Nanny Miss Monique, a career nanny based out of Chicago. The married mother of a 6-year-old daughter, who has served in the childcare industry for more than 25 years, knows how to ensure a fun and safe night for your littles.
During an April 21 segment on the TODAY show, Nanny Miss Monique told Hoda Kotb her five best tips for hiring a babysitter, especially what not to do.
Assume a sitter knows your child's routines and home environment
"Parents and sitters should communicate," Nanny Miss Monique told TODAY. "Mommy and Daddy know what’s best, so they should provide a schedule for meals, (including) specific rules about screen time or (other) preferred activities."
To prevent any guesswork, parents and sitters should stay in touch periodically throughout the evening, she said, "So nobody is stressing out."
Forget to show your sitter how to use essential items
"If you have a baby, maybe it’s the bottle warmer, the stroller or the noise machine," said Nanny Miss Monique. "If you have an older child, maybe it’s details needed for any of their games or activities. Or it could be medication the sitter needs to give a child or (how to navigate) a tricky lock or a garage (door)."
Teaching your sitter where emergency numbers are kept and how to access first-aid supplies shouldn’t go overlooked, either.
“Think ahead of time (about) any contingencies and leave a clear and detailed list of any important details or contacts,”she said.
Overlook having an emergency plan in place
"Have a clear list of contacts and details just in case there is an emergency have them written down and put them somewhere the nanny can see," she explained.
Before you leave, make sure you go over the details with them, she added.
Underpay a sitter
Babysitter pay fluctuates depending on the state, city or even neighborhood. Additionally, the demands of the job (like the number of children or whether driving is involved) can affect wages.
For example, according to Sittercity.com, in San Francisco, the hourly wage for nannies is $27.50 while it's $25 for babysitters. Compare that to Columbia, South Carolina, where the hourly rate for nannies is $16 versus $15 for babysitters. If you don't know, you can always look it up on a site like Indeed.com.
"Adjust (the pay) based on your caregiver's experience," added Nanny Miss Monique.
Forget about the sitter’s safety
"If your sitter drove to your house, be sure to check in with them later to make sure he or she got home," said Nanny Miss Monique. "If the sitter walked to your house or used public transportation, be sure to drive them back home, or call them an Uber car."
This article was originally published on TODAY.com
