What questions should I ask the reference (persons) that a potential babysitter provided for childcare?
KOD asked:
I am deciding on a babysitter for my young daughter when I go back to work. The babysitter has given me three references to call. What type of questions should I ask of these references? The babysitter sits in her own home and has been in child care for a long time.
I am deciding on a babysitter for my young daughter when I go back to work. The babysitter has given me three references to call. What type of questions should I ask of these references? The babysitter sits in her own home and has been in child care for a long time.
How long did she work for you?
How many hours a day and a week would she work for you?
Did you have any problems with her?
Do your kids miss her?
Would you hire her again?
Come ask other moms!!
Did your children ever have any complaints in regards to how they were treated by the caretaker?
Did your children ever have any problem with the other children in her care? If so, how did the caretaker resolve these issues?
Do you still have children in her care? If not, would you use her again if needed?
Did you child ever come home with evidence that he or she had been sitting around in a soiled diaper for long periods of time?
What would you say are the 3 strongest characteristics of this caretaker?
What would your children say were her strong points?
Were you ever disappointed with the quality of care your children received?
In what areas do you think the caretaker could improve?
Was the caretaker detailed in her communications with you regarding your child and his/her interactions with the other children?
How would you describe the sitter’s home? Was it “too” anything? (Dirty, orderly, cluttered, unsafe, clean, etc. You want to find out if this person is too sloppy or too much of a task-master. A good balance is appropriate.)
How would you sum up this person’s personality? (Laid back, high strung, somewhere in between?)
How does this person react under pressure?
What is one area where the babysitter’s childcare philosophy differed from your own and how did you reconcile the difference? Did you feel comfortable with the result?
How well does the sitter follow instructions?
Are there any other individuals who frequent the home who are or are not directly involved in the childcare? (Your looking for who your child might be exposed to beyond the obvious.)
Did the sitter contact you at work appropriately?
Does the sitter have Infant and Child CPR training?
Did the sitter care for his/her own children as well as your own? How did your child feel about this? (“Yeah! Playmates!” or “Uh, could I get a little attention here?”)
Does this childcare provider have a swimming pool where he/she watches children? If so, does the sitter show care and responsibility about restricting access and supervising children AT ALL TIMES?
What is the provider’s discipline style? Would you say he/she is strict or lenient? How does the provider discipline children? (Make sure you are comfortable with the answer.)
Did you feel that your children were educationally enriched by being cared for by your provider? Did the caregiver provide a service beyond keeping your child safe and sound?
How much did you pay the sitter? Did you think it was a good value for the service you received? Try to find out if it was more or less than the other situations they considered and why they felt it was appropriate to pay more or less.
Are you still using this sitter? If no, why not?