You’re looking for a babysitter, and you’ve already shortlisted a few candidates. Now comes the most important part: the interview. The right questions help you understand not just their experience but also their character, reliability, and how well they’ll connect with your child. How do they handle pressure? Can they manage tantrums? What do they do when they disagree with one of your rules? Here are the 10 questions to ask.

Before the interview

The best way to start is to decide in advance what matters most to you. Does your new sitter need to have a lot of experience? What would you like to pay as a babysitting rate? How should they handle difficult children? Would you like them to take on household tasks? These are all questions worth thinking through carefully before you start your search for a new babysitter. Then, when you’ve looked for sitters and think you’ve selected the best candidates based on your personal preferences, you can start setting up the interviews.

Before organising an in-person meeting, do a quick phone screen. It’s the fastest way to filter candidates and arrive at the interview with fewer, better options. Sorting these things out in advance saves time for everyone.

Over the phone, check:

  • availability and schedule flexibility
  • neighbourhood or area they’re based in
  • references
  • paediatric first aid or choking response certification
  • anything you expect beyond childcare: driving the kids, homework help, light household tasks
  • pay expectations: if their rate is too far from what you had in mind, it’s better to know upfront. Find out more about average babysitter rates.

If you found your candidates on Sitly, you’ll already know their hourly rate and where they live: it’s listed on their profile. You can also filter by rate when searching.

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The babysitter interview: what to ask

Once you’ve finished your phone screens, you’re ready for the next step: an in-person meeting. The questions below aren’t a test, and there are no right or wrong answers. These questions are there to help you build a picture of the person in front of you: their experience with children, their motivation, how they handle difficult moments, and how they manage the relationship with parents. And ultimately, to decide if this babysitter is a good fit for your family.

You don’t need to involve your child in the actual interview, but it is a good idea to arrange a first meeting with your child present before making a final decision. In this meeting you can see how the babysitter approaches your child, and how your child responds to them. What are their interactions like? Do you think they will get along? After all, your child is the one who ultimately spends the most time with the sitter. It’s important that they like each other.

1. Can you tell me about your previous babysitting experience? 

The obvious starting point, but don’t stop at numbers. Ask for concrete examples, get them talking. More years don’t automatically mean better quality. Someone just starting out who grew up with younger siblings may have a natural ease with children that’s worth more than years of paid work. What you’re looking for is consistency between what they tell you and what you’ve already read on their profile.

2. What age groups have you worked with most?

A newborn and a six-year-old have completely different needs, and five years of experience with school-age children doesn’t necessarily translate to the same confidence with a toddler. Make sure their experience matches your child’s age, and listen for signs that they are aware of those differences. Anyone who truly knows children understands that every stage is its own world.

3. Why did you leave your last babysitting job?

This question can tell you more than it seems. It can give insight into their experience, communication style, and what they’re looking for in a role. An honest and balanced answer is a good sign, even if the previous arrangement came to a natural end. It’s also useful to understand whether they left to pursue other opportunities, had scheduling changes, or were simply looking for a different type of position. 

4. Imagine a free afternoon with my child — how would you organise it?

The most motivated babysitters come with ideas already in mind. A lively answer with concrete suggestions is a positive sign. Even better if it includes a moment of downtime or leaves room for the child’s input: “I’d ask them what they want to do” shows real sensitivity. A vague answer is worth noting. Babysitting isn’t just supervision; it’s genuinely being present with a child.

5. Why did you choose to work as a babysitter?

There’s no right or wrong answer, but some will resonate more with your values than others. A personal response, even a simple one, is more reassuring than a purely financial one. Anyone who has taken a moment to think about this question is already a step ahead.

babysitter reading to children

6. What’s the hardest situation you’ve faced as a babysitter?

You want to understand how they handle stress and the unexpected. They don’t need to have lived through a major emergency, but their answer will tell you a lot about their ability to stay calm and find solutions. Be wary of anyone who claims they’ve never had a difficult moment, which is not very credible. But also of someone who describes a hard situation without any reflection on what they might have done differently.

7. What would you do if you disagreed with a rule or habit in the family you work for?

In day-to-day childcare, it’s almost inevitable that a babysitter will see things differently on something: screen time, mealtime habits, or how to handle tantrums. That’s not a problem in itself. What matters is how they handle it.

A balanced answer along the lines of “I’d bring it up with the parents at the right moment” or “I’d mention it respectfully, but then follow their lead” is a great sign. It means they know how to stay in their role without switching off their own judgement. What gives you pause is someone who says they’d follow any rule without question, too compliant to be believable. But equally, anyone who implies they’d do things their own way regardless: a babysitter isn’t there to re-educate the family.

8. How do you react when a child has a meltdown and won’t calm down?

Possibly the most important question in the whole interview. Not for the answer itself, but for what it reveals about their empathy. Responses like “I try to understand what’s upsetting them”, “I get down to their level”, or “I distract them with something they enjoy” are all positive signs. What you’re looking for is someone who sees the child, not just the problem to be solved.

9. How long do you see yourself being available for this kind of work?

Consistency matters for children, especially younger ones. Changing babysitters frequently can be unsettling, so it’s better to know upfront if they’re about to graduate, planning to move, or looking for something seasonal. That’s not necessarily a dealbreaker, but it’s information you need. What you’re looking for is honesty, not an answer they think you want to hear.

10. What are your pay expectations?

Talking about money feels awkward, but it’s a conversation to have early, not at the end. Unclear pay agreements are one of the most common sources of friction. What you’re looking for is someone with realistic expectations who’s willing to discuss them openly.

After the interview, there are still a couple of things to do before making your decision: check references and get a contract in place. Read more about what to include in your babysitter contract and download a contract template. And if you have more than one strong candidate, don’t rush: a second meeting or a trial session with your child can make all the difference.