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.

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How to Deal With Sciatica Pain

Many moms develop a condition called Sciatica after giving birth. It is also caused by standing incorrectly or holding a kid that is too heavy for too long. It may not feel that alarming at first but if the pain persists it can be quite disabling over the long term.

Sciatica pain is sometimes also known as 'stabbing leg pain' or 'down the leg pain.' The misery is caused by the irritation of major sensory pathway known as the sciatic nerve. This is the longest and largest nerve in the body. It roots in the lower spine area and branches out into the leg and foot. When this nerve is afflicted it is rated as being one of the most painful of human sufferings.

There are many possible causes of sciatic including infections, tumors, pregnancy, arthritis and tissue swelling. Nearly ninety percent of cases of sciatic are caused by pinched spinal nerves caught between misaligned vertabrae or by herniated disks. Fortunately this condition generally responds very well to chiropractic treatments.

Sciatica initiates when a spinal disk herniates or there is misalignment of the lower back vertabraes. They can cause pinching or irritation of nerves in the lower spine and this in turn can cause pain in the foot, calf, thigh, hip, buttocks and back. Even the most minimal of movements can bring on harsh pains. All it can take is bending over, a slight turn or a misstep to trigger agonizing pain.
However before sciatica becomes chronic that body often sends out clear signals that sciatica might be the problem. Often low back pain, discomfort or stiffness is present before there is an attack of sciatic. The pain often starts of as milder and comes and goes so it is not that alarming at first. However you might notice that activities such as bending, lifting or turning can cause it to get worse.

It is not a good idea to wait for the pain to get really bad before seeking help. You should see a chiropractor once you detect even the mildest of symptoms. The good news is that even when the pain is caused by a herniated disc the pain of sciatica can be substantially relieved by even a minimal chiropractic treatment.

A short term solution for coping with this type of pain might be to sleep with a full-length body pillow. This helps relieve any pressure on the nerve endings that might be causing the sciatica pain in the first place.

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