Is Your Babysitter Qualified? Things to Check Before Leaving Your Kids

You’re excited for a night out and the babysitter just arrived. Is your babysitter prepared for what might happen while you are away? Although most parents generally hire a babysitter based on referrals, it’s always best to make sure your sitter has all of these basics so that in the event of an emergency, they can act fast.

Contact Numbers

You should always provide your own cell number when you leave but have you thought about leaving a backup number and also getting a back up number for your sitter. Should something happen and your sitter and kids need to leave the house having her parents or her friends number as a backup might be a good idea.

For example a friend had a young lady watching her kids and there was a gas leak in the home. The sitter called 911 and tried to call the parents but could not contact them. When the ambulance came they took the sitter and both kids in the ambulance to check them out. The sitter lost her phone between the ambulance ride and the ER admission and the parents had no way to contact her. Luckily they had the sitters mom’s phone number and was able to get in contact with her that way.

CPR Training

All persons that are caring for children should have basic first aid and CPR training. You just don’t know what might happen and you don’t want someone who can’t give care on the spot. If you have a sitter you regularly use, you might even want to offer to pay for have her training just for your own peace of mind. It’s a vital skill and you just don’t know when someone might need to use it.

Since this type of training generally includes training on choking and clearing an airway, as well as how to care for basic injuries it’s handy when caring for young kids.

Experience

Depending on how old your kids are, you might be more comfortable having a sitter with experience caring for infants or toddlers. Simply knowing how to change diapers isn’t enough to properly care for kids that young. Make sure you know exactly what your sitter has done in the past in the way of childcare and of course, don’t assume that they know anything.

If your sitter does not seem like a right fit then don’t be afraid to help her get training or possibly come over and learn to care for your kids while you are there. This is one of the best ways for them to get experience understanding how to care for your children’s specific needs.

If you need more help finding out how to help your babysitter get the training he or she needs please feel free to contact us today.

Of course we do everything possible to protect our children, but do they know how to take action to help others themselves? Would they know how to assist in an emergency if you weren’t around? Would they have the knowledge and skills to save a life? Here are some tips on how to teach your children life-saving skills!