Ten steps to find your babysitter

Decide what you’re looking for in a babysitter

Who is your ideal babysitter? Think about character, age, and experience. How far does she live from you? When is she available? Your search will be much easier when you know what you’re seeking. Decide upfront what characteristics are important to you, and on what you’re willing to compromise.

Fill in your information, and add a good picture

Sign up with Sitly and take a few minutes to set up your profile. The more information that you add to your profile means that we'll show you more babysitters and nannies who are relevant to your search, and the babysitter/nanny will know more about what you're seeking. There is also a section to add more details about yourself. It’s a great idea to add some information about:

• You and your children
• When and why you need a babysitter or nanny, e.g., for after-school care, or someone to help occasionally
• Any extra tasks for which you want your babysitter or nanny to help, for example, homework or minor household chores.

Filter and find babysitters / nannies that match you perfectly

After signing up you can see all of the babysitters and nannies in your area immediately. You can use filters like ‘age’ or ‘hourly rate’ you're willing to pay. Based on the information in your profile and these filters, Sitly shows you which babysitters and nannies are the best match.

Send a message to babysitters / nannies you like

Check the profiles of a few babysitters / nannies: check out their information, their pictures, and reviews from other parents. If you find one that might be a good match, send them a message and introduce yourself! You can tell them about your family, what you’re seeking, and why they would be a match for your family. During your chat, it might be good to ask the following questions:

• Would you be interested in babysitting for us?
• Are you available when we need someone?
• Do you have any references?
• What’s your hourly rate?

You can also invite them to look at your profile and apply, in one click. The babysitter or nanny will receive a standard message, where they are invited to apply for your babysitting job.

Check references and social profiles

Call the references that the babysitter or nanny has provided. What do other families think about the babysitter? Also, if you ask for the babysitter’s last name, you can check their social profiles to see who they are. Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter are a great way to get to know people.

Set up an interview

It’s time to meet your babysitter!

If you like what you see and hear, you can invite the babysitter or nanny to your house to continue the interview. It’s an opportunity to get to know them better and see how they interact with you. It doesn’t have to be formal, you can just have a nice chat with some coffee and talk about some different subjects, for example:

• How long have you been babysitting?
• What do you like about babysitting?
• Which ages do you have the most experience with?
• What do kids like best about you?
• How do you comfort the kids you babysit?
• What are your favorite activities with kids while babysitting?
• Would you mind bringing the kids to their after-school activities?
• What time are you available until in the evenings?
• Which domestic chores would you be willing to do?

Let's meet the kids!

It’s great that you get along with your new babysitter, but it’s even more important that your kids get along with them! After all, your kids will spend more time with the babysitter or nanny than will you. Look at your new babysitter or nanny and see if they’re comfortable interacting with your kids and if they get on well. Of course, you can plan this at the same time as the interview; it doesn’t have to be a separate appointment.

Set up a grace period

Decide on a grace period to see if it works out. You can think about a set number of times that the babysitter or nanny comes over. Or, start to build up the time that you’re away to see if everything goes well.

Sign a babysitting contract

When you find a great babysitter, it’s always best to go over the agreements to prevent any misunderstandings. You might even want to record these agreements in a babysitter or nanny contract. The contract can be very simple. You can add all the things you find important:

• Hourly rate
• Working hours
• Additional tasks
• Special reminders about your kids (rituals, medicine use, allergies)

Evaluate frequently

Communicate with each other. Make time to evaluate how things are going, preferably without the kids present. That way, there’s plenty of time to tell each what you think, ask questions or offer advice.