How to Interview a Babysitter

Once you have found a babysitter it is a good idea to ask them over so you and your kids can meet him or her.

The first thing you should note is whether or not he or she is on time. This is an indicator of future reliability.

When the babysitter shows up you should note how he or she is dressed. Look for someone who is well-groomed and in child-friendly wear. For instance, a young woman with long fake nails that look like talons may not be as interested in child care as she claims.

You should also have a piece of paper ready with the following information to be filled out on it.

Name ______________________________

Address ______________________________

Phone ______________________________
Cell ______________________________
Reference 1 ______________________________
Reference 2 ______________________________

You can make up this short form on your computer and print it out or you can simply write it with pen and paper.

Some neighborhood babysitters may not be used to being asked for a reference particularly if they are younger. That is okay. It is just fine to simply ask who he or she has babysat with before.

Questions that you might want to ask your babysitter are –
How long have you been a babysitter?
How many other families do you babysit for?
How old are the other children you care for?
Are you still in school?
What will you do when I am not here?
Do you mind feeding my kids?
Are you able to help my kids with their homework?
What do you like to do with your free time?
What television shows do you enjoy watching/
Will you need to use my computer when I am not here?
Do you intend to have visitors here when I am not home and if so who?
What is the very worst thing that happened to you as a babysitter so far and how did you handle it?
If my child had an accident, what would be the first thing that you would do?
If you are going to be late or have to cancel the job, how will you let me know?
How much do you expect to be paid an hour?
How do you want to be paid – in cash or by check?
Most of these questions are quite 'leading' in nature and can help you tell quite a bit about the candidate's character and tendencies.
Finally the best babysitter is the one that seems like he or she wants to interview you. If the babysitter is armed with a list of questions about your children, their food preferences, what time they go to sleep and other matters then you have found a good candidate.

Parenting Tips
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Surefire Ways to Keep Kids Healthy

If you love your kids you want them to operating at their optimum health levels so they can be as creative and productive as possible.

First of all you should check your child's weight once a month to ensure that he or she hasn't dropped any weight as a result of insufficient calorie intake. Active kids can require 500 to 1,000 more calories a day than their inactive peers because they burn more energy while engaged in sports. It is essential for you to make sure that they have enough to eat so they can thrive in life.

If you do discover that your child has lost weight, consider seeing a registered dietitian to help plan a diet that will meet his increased energy needs. You can find a dietitian at by talking to your family doctor or pediatrician. You can also find them listed online. Sometimes even your school will have a dietician you can talk to.

Ideally you should give an active kid three meals each day, as well as three or four healthy snacks. Kids have small tummies and cannot eat enough at a meal to sustain them for many hours, so snacks are vital to keeping their energy levels up. Feeding children like this also makes sure they never feel hungry and if you feed them several tinier meals a day they never get stomach aches either.

To keep kids healthy meals should be high in complex carbohydrates, such as whole grain breads, pasta, rice, cereal and potatoes. They should also contain protein (chicken, fish) and healthy fats (oil-based salad dressing, soft margarine, or any vegetable oil, such as olive, canola, sunflower or flax). The key is balance! I have found that a kid that eats too much is unable to do hi s or her homework.

It is also crucial that you serve a variety of foods to ensure your kid's entire vitamin and mineral needs are met. If your kid eats the same thing every day he or she may get sick because there is not enough variety in the diet.

When it comes to feeding the kids it also helps to plan ahead. Busy schedules that include early-morning or night-time practices interfere with meal times. Be sure to carry healthy snacks and think ahead to the next meal so that healthy options can be available.

Parenting Tips
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