Families should not rush when choosing a babysitter, they should think carefully and act meticulously. Decisions made without thorough consideration and faulty selections can have various negative effects on children. The candidate's age, education and health status, communication skills, demeanor, approach to problems, and personality traits must be taken into account, and references should be investigated if available. It is also important to ensure that the candidate is responsible and punctual. A babysitter who frequently disrupts working hours can cause disruptions in the daily routine of parents.
Frequently Changing Babysitters is a Serious Mistake
When you agree with a baby sitter, your child initially observes this new person in their life with curiosity and a bit of anxiety. Unless a situation arises to prevent this, over time, they will get used to, bond with, and start to love their babysitter. In this case, if the babysitter leaves or is dismissed for some reason, it can cause sadness and insecurity for your child. A new babysitter requires your child to adapt to a new person. If they loved their previous babysitter very much, this can be even more difficult. They may also worry that this babysitter will leave one day, experiencing separation anxiety.
As a result, frequently changing babysitters negatively affects children. This situation is also distressing for parents. The time it takes to find a new one can disrupt your routine. If your babysitter has shaken your trust for some reason, you will find it even harder to trust new candidates. Conversely, if you were satisfied with someone and they left due to health issues, you will feel their absence. Additionally, it may not be possible to find someone with similar qualities in a short time.
This is one of the reasons why it is necessary to be meticulous when choosing a babysitter. You may have a reason to be in a hurry, but if you make a faulty choice in haste, you may need to post a new ad saying, "I am looking for a babysitter" before too long. The frequent repetition of this situation can negatively affect both your child and you.
Having Grandmother or Grandfather Take Care of the Child is Not Always the Right Decision
Grandmother or grandfather;
*If they are not willing to take care of your child regularly and consistently,
*If their health status or living conditions do not allow it,
*If they do not have the energy to keep up with a small child,
*If you do not want their opinions, behaviors, and outlook on life to influence your child, you should consider another alternative.
Other items can be added to the list. Under normal circumstances, having one of the grandparents take care of a child is a safer alternative. However, having one of them take on this important task is not always the best or the right decision. You should think carefully before making a decision on this matter.
Do Not Entrust Your Child to a Grandmother Living in Another City
Some families prefer to entrust their children to a grandmother or grandfather living in another city instead of a babysitter. This preference can also be made for financial reasons. Even if the grandmother would take care of your child with love and affection, we recommend avoiding this.
In this case, you will see your child at certain intervals. You will miss them, and they will miss you too. The bond between you will never be as strong as it would be if you lived in the same house and saw each other every evening, even if not throughout the day. Even if your child is well taken care of and well-fed, there will always be a sadness stemming from limited time spent with their parents. Therefore, unless you are absolutely forced to do so for some reason, you should not choose this path.
If You Do Not Express What You Want Clearly, You May Have Problems with the Babysitter
The tasks that a babysitter will perform are generally known, but there are also issues that families particularly care about. Clearly and precisely express the qualities you want in the babysitter and the things you want them to do. Provide information about your priorities. For example, if the development of your child's speaking or math skills is particularly important to you, mention this. In this case, trained babysitter candidates may be a more suitable alternative for you. Babysitters who have received training in child development know better ways to educate children on certain topics.
If later on you ask the babysitter to do tasks that you did not mention during the interview, you may experience the same problems that other families who made the same mistake have faced. Your babysitter may not be willing to do extra work or may ask for a higher fee to do so.
It is More Appropriate for the Child to Be Taken Care of in Their Own Home
One of the items you can see in lists of mistakes made when choosing a babysitter is agreeing to have the child cared for in the babysitter's home. If possible, avoid doing this. Under normal circumstances, the home where a child lives with their family is the place where they feel the safest and happiest. Additionally, you cannot know the characteristics of the people who come and go in the babysitter's home. Even if they are a good babysitter, there may be people in their living environment that you would not prefer to have around your child.
You may have had to agree to have your child cared for in the babysitter's home for some reason, but in this case, you must pick up your child every evening. They should spend time at home in the evening with their parents and, if they have siblings, with them as well, and they should sleep in their own bed.
Ensure That the Babysitter is Physically and Mentally Healthy
One of the points to pay attention to when making a babysitter selection is the babysitter's health status. Especially if you have a very active and energetic child, you should choose someone who can keep up with their energy. Additionally, a babysitter with a chronic health problem may need to take frequent leaves for this reason. Inquire about this during the interview. As parents, if you leave home at a certain time in the morning and return at a certain time in the evening, it is especially important that the babysitter works consistently and regularly without disrupting working hours.
A child or baby sitter should also be mentally healthy. Otherwise, your child's mental health may be negatively affected.
"Is a Turkish babysitter or a foreign babysitter better?" The answer to this question can vary depending on many factors. One of these is the qualities of the babysitter. A trained and experienced babysitter, whether Turkish or foreign, provides various benefits to your child. If it is critically important for you that your child is raised within the framework of our culture and traditions, you should certainly prefer a local babysitter. However, if you are looking for a babysitter who speaks English, especially foreign babysitters from countries where English is one of the official languages will provide more effective foreign language education.
Foreign babysitters are more open to the idea of working live-in than local babysitters. Therefore, if you want a live-in babysitter, you are more likely to find what you are looking for among foreign babysitter candidates.
Babysitter Who Speaks English
You can find candidates among local babysitters who speak English. However, if you want your child to be exposed to English at a young age, a foreign babysitter raised under these conditions may be a better alternative. Because they have learned English not through formal education but by living it.
For example, most Filipino babysitter candidates can speak this language as their native language since English is one of the official languages of the Philippines. This is one of the main reasons for their preference.
Besides references, one way to gather information and opinions about the candidates you interview is to ask them the right questions. By paying attention to body language during the interview, you can also gain insight into the candidate's confidence and ability to express themselves.
Basic Questions
Questions such as the babysitter candidate's name, age, requested fee and annual raise expectations, contact information, education level, references, and criminal record are important. When interviewing a foreign candidate, you should also inquire whether they have obtained all the necessary legal permits.
Personal Questions
*Do you have children?
*Do you have a career goal, and if so, what is it?
*How do you spend your non-working hours?
*What do you like most about children?
Health-Related Questions
*Do you have a habit of smoking?
*Do you have any contagious or chronic illnesses?
*If we agree, would it be possible for you to have a blood test done before starting work?
Questions About Work Experience
*How did you start working as a babysitter?
*Can you talk about the aspects of your job that you like the most and the least?
*How long have you taken care of children before?
*What age groups of children have you cared for?
*Is there a particular age group you prefer to work with? If so, can you explain the reasons?
Questions About Child Care
You should plan these questions according to your child's age, needs, and your own requests. Below you will see some sample questions, but not all of them may be necessary for you.
*How do you change diapers, and what do you pay attention to?
*How do you calm a crying or angry, aggressive child?
*What do you know about first aid?
Questions Related to Discipline Understanding
*How do you behave when a child stubbornly opposes you?
*How do you respond to a child who is crying violently?
*What do you think about children watching TV/computer use?
*Will you comply with the screen rules we set for our child?
*Can you adapt to the child's routine?
Questions About Your Personal Expectations
*Can you also help with cooking/ironing/general housework besides taking care of our child? (Be sure to mention all such requests.)
*Are the working hours we specified suitable for you?
*If necessary, can you change your day off?
*Do you have any objections to having a camera system in our home?
*We want our child's babysitter not to use the phone during working hours except for emergencies and important situations. Is this suitable for you?
You can often hear questions like "Nursery or babysitter?", "Home or nursery?" from parents. The general view on this issue is that it is good for a child to be cared for at home until the age of 3 if possible. After the age of 3, a healthy, suitable nursery environment that meets the necessary conditions can provide a lot for children.
The ideal age to start nursery is often recommended to be around 3 years old. One of the reasons for this is that this age is the beginning of the socialization period. A nursery environment allows children to spend time with their peers and play together. A nursery with well-chosen teachers and educators can teach your child a lot and prepare them for primary education.
If you are considering sending your child to nursery, it is good to do so when you are sure that they can express their situation and needs and can provide you with some information about the days they will spend at nursery. When you ask them what they did at nursery, whether they were treated well, and whether they were happy, they should be able to tell you something, even if superficially.
*They should love their job and do it thoroughly and properly.
*Loving children is a must.
You might think: "If they don't love children, why would they want to work as a babysitter?" But remember that not everyone has the chance to do the job they love. There are many people in the world who work only due to challenging financial reasons or because they cannot find a job they like. Therefore, when choosing a babysitter, you must ensure that the candidates you interview genuinely and sincerely love children.
*They should have developed communication skills. It is important that they can initiate appropriate topics of conversation with children and provide clear and understandable answers to their questions.
*They should be positive, affectionate, kind, and cheerful.
*They should be calm. This way, they can take necessary actions without wasting time in unexpected negative situations.
*We all know that children can sometimes exhibit behaviors that test one's patience, unreasonable stubbornness, and exhausting chatter. A good babysitter should be patient and able to manage the child they are caring for well.
*It is good if they do not have habits like smoking and drinking alcohol. You should at least be sure that they will not do these things during working hours and in front of your child.
Let’s say you have agreed with a babysitter. Even if you have done this after a meticulous selection, you need to know that you are still at the beginning of the road. You will understand over time whether you made the right decision.
Initially, you should regularly check what is happening in your home. You can do this by calling the babysitter or asking a relative or friend you trust to go to your home from time to time to check the situation. Alternatively, if possible, you can also go home at random times during the day to observe personally.
Children who will be sent to nursery or spend time with a babysitter during the day should be able to express their basic needs, requests, and feelings, even if simply. However, sometimes circumstances may not allow this. In such cases, you can only evaluate the babysitter's performance by paying attention to whether your baby is clean, fed, comfortable, rested, and peaceful.
If your child can verbally express their feelings and thoughts, you must take what they say into account. If they are not satisfied with their babysitter and are constantly complaining, do not immediately say that you agree with them. Children can sometimes distort the truth or make unjustified complaints because they are not spoiled as much as they want or are not allowed to behave as they wish. However, you should not ignore what your child says. You must evaluate their complaints and understand the reasons for their dissatisfaction. Of course, they may be right, so you should do this without wasting time and find a solution to correct the situation if they are justified.
Nanny and Caregiver Selection
