Photo: LivyAnn

Babysitting for friends gives you a real insight into their lifestyle, from how they go about putting the kids to bed – and whether or not they stay there – to what they offer you in the way of supper. Do they want you to visit the little darlings in their beds to say goodnight or are they sneaking out and you have to pretend you are not there at all?! The basic etiquette I think is to fit in with whatever they think will work best for their children, and cross your fingers nobody gets upset.

I always think being alone in someone else’s home is a different experience as well – and I am not confessing to rooting through cupboards or under mattresses here – you just have time to consider the surroundings more and perhaps look at the book titles on the shelves. Interior décor ideas and pictures can be absorbed as well, and often supply great inspiration for other projects in your own home.

I have an arrangement with a neighbour to baby-sit for each other which works really well, particularly as it is such a quick walk home when you are tired at the end of the night. The best bit, much to the amusement of the rest of the street, is when my husband does his 8.00pm dash with a foil covered plate to deliver my dinner! I am a lucky lady.

Photo: jdgeoghegan

A babysitter is going to be a companion to your child when you are not around. She is a caretaker, an educator, and even a mentor to your child. There are two types of babysitters, a live in babysitter and a part time babysitter or the come and go babysitter. A live in babysitter will stay with your child for the entire period of time that you hire her, whereas a part time babysitter will come and go as per working hours.

Therefore you have to first decide what kind of babysitter you want to employ. Once the time factor is decided, you need to start looking for a babysitter. To look for a babysitter you can give a local advertisement, or you can look for one by the word of mouth, asking your near ones to help you, you can also contact an agency which specializes in babysitter.

You can search the internet and the last option is that you can look on your own. When you get the feedback you should look into the background, skills, qualifications and experience of the future babysitter of your child. When you have zeroed upon one babysitter then comes the time to talk and negotiate. As a parent you have to make your expectations and limitations clear to the babysitter. Discuss with her the basic job of protecting, teaching, loving and playing with your child. Also tell her about how to take care of your child’s meals, laundry, room and personal belongings.

At the final step you should discuss the salary with her. A babysitter gradually becomes a child’s best friend, but that may not be always true. So you should keep checking the compatibility of your child with the babysitter. The relationship between babysitter and the child’s family should be built on trust.

Do not expect a babysitter to be your housekeeper, a maid, your best friend, and your confidant. Always remember she is there for the most important member of your family and your child as well.