Guest Blogger

Ever wanted to know what the babysitter is really thinking? This month, guest blogger Lizz Bryce shows us the sitter's point of view. This is the first of four posts she'll share with us over the month of February, so take lots of notes!


“That man has grey hair. Does that mean he’s going to die soon?”

That’s not what you want coming out of a kid’s mouth in public. Though funny now, at the time I was completely mortified. Luckily, she’s not my kid. 

I started babysitting when I was nine. By the time I was in university, nearly every weekend night was booked. I’ve travelled with families, stayed with kids while parents were out of town, and even worked as a nanny.

I’ve got my share of horror stories (one word: puke), but I keep going back to the job because I’ve worked for so many parents who were great employers and even friends.

Finding a fantastic babysitter — one who puts your kids to bed on time, feeds them, cleans them, reads extra stories, and even explains aging to them on the bus — isn’t easy. Keeping her in a competitive “sitter market” can be even tougher. Over the next few weeks, I’ll share secrets that will help you keep a really great babysitter (or maybe steal one away from your neighbours).

Five easy ways to keep your sitter happy:

• Talk to her. I’ve had clients who never spoke to me beyond the obligatory “hello,” and “here’s the phone list.” Having someone in your home can be stressful. Being in someone’s home is pretty stressful too. Taking the time to chat will make your sitter feel more welcome and put your mind at ease.
  

• Full disclosure. I once showed up at a job to discover the kids had lice. I was totally grossed out. The next day I tested my (very new) relationship by asking my boyfriend to inspect my head for critters.
  Warning your sitter that your child is sick, infected or infested will let her know that you value her health and her work. Most sitters won’t automatically cancel if a little one has a runny nose, but the option is important and having the information before she arrives will allow her to take any available precautions.
   
• Give her an ETA. When you arrange the date with your sitter, let her know what time you expect to be home. Every sitter will have their own definition of too late, but usually we just like to know what to expect. Something came up while you were out? Give her a call. Knowing you have to work a long night is much easier than waiting by the door at midnight.
  
  
• Don’t linger. Unless there’s a reason to stick around when your sitter arrives (getting to know each other, running late), head out as soon as you can. It’s hard to convince kids that you’re the boss with Mom and Dad in the next room.
   
• Respect. It’s the single most important thing parents can offer to a sitter. You can be the best paying family on the block, but if your sitter doesn’t feel respected then the rest doesn’t matter.

 
Lizz Bryce considers herself a retired babysitter but still makes occasional house-calls for her best clients, and loves invites to kiddos’ birthday parties (because they have the best cake). She blogs at www.lizzbryce.com and befriends strangers on Twitter as @opinionatedlizz