Babysitter checklist: How to make it work

How do I find the right babysitter?

Babysitter offers findet ihr leicht: On recommendation from friends or acquaintances, through an online portal or from teenagers in the neighborhood. If you think you've found someone, invite them to a first meeting at your home. That way you can 'get to know each other' more easily. You can also start slowly and let your child play with the babysitter for one or two hours at first, for example while you go shopping. That way everyone can test whether they get along well. What to pay attention to at the first meeting:

Personality: How does the babysitter come across to you? Reliable, trustworthy and child-friendly?
Relationship to your child: Beobachtet, wie der Babysitter auf euer Kind zugeht und wie die beiden sich miteinander verstehen. Nicht jedes Kind wird direkt anfangen, den Babysitter zu umarmen, aber ein gewisses Interesse sollte der Sitter wecken.
Experience: Does the babysitter have younger siblings or frequently look after children? Maybe you could also hire a student of educational sciences or a prospective social worker.
Interest: Does the babysitter ask important questions about your child at the first meeting, for example about habits or preferences? Or are they really just after the money?
First aid: Babysitters should at least know the basics for emergencies.
Babysitter diploma: In a multi-hour seminar important information on childcare is conveyed. Additionally the training also includes a first aid course. The diploma is offered for babysitters from age 14, for example by the DRK or by adult education centers (Volkshochschulen).
Feeling: At the end of the first meeting you should trust your gut. Could you in good conscience leave your child alone with the babysitter?

Hiring a babysitter: What should parents look out for?

Insurance: Your babysitter must have liability insurance. Minors usually have this through their parents. However, it is important that the insurance contract contains "employment on assignment". In other cases insurers often refuse to cover resulting damage.
When the doorbell rings: Clarify beforehand whether your babysitter should answer the phone or not and what should be said to the caller. Also discuss how they should behave towards strangers at the door.
Finances: Ask your babysitter if you can transfer the wage. Only then can the salary be claimed as special expenses, business expenses or advertising costs in the tax return. As proof the tax office usually requires the bank statement.
Accidents: Since your babysitter is paid by you – even if they only look after your child occasionally – you become their employer. For this reason the babysitter must also be covered by accident insurance. That costs you about 50 euros a year. If you forget to register your babysitter, fines may be imposed.

What does our babysitter need to know?

Damit euer Babysitter gut in die neue Aufgabe startet, solltet ihr dafür sorgen, dass er euch, euer Kind und die Rules in your household bestens kennt. Bedenkt, dass er die take responsibility for your child – and that for several hours. A detailed introductory conversation with information about the finer details of your family routine lays the foundation for a smooth start.

Therefore, before the meeting with your future babysitter notes on any special circumstances rund um euer Kind, euer Zuhause und die Gewohnheiten und Rituale, die ihr im Alltag pflegt. Das sind kleine Details, die vielleicht im ersten Moment nicht als wichtig erscheinen – aber mit Blick auf eine längere Beschäftigung eures Babysitters dazu beitragen können, dass die Zusammenarbeit ein Erfolg und euer Kind bestens betreut wird.

With the following questions you can quickly and clearly compile important details for your babysitter:

What does a normal day in your child's life look like? Which rituals in the morning, at midday and in the evening are there that the babysitter should know about?
What does your child like most? What are their favorite cuddly toys, toys, books or songs?
What are your child's favorite dishes? Are there intolerances or allergies your babysitter should pay attention to?
What do you usually do when your baby cries, screams or wakes up?
What rules and prohibitions are there in your household that your babysitter should adhere to?
Are there specific things your child is currently learning that the babysitter can or should support?

In addition, you should also provide certain day-to-day details:

How is your child right now? Is your child unwell or lively?
Did your child sleep well or poorly?
Does your child currently need to take any medications?

If you think about these questions in advance, you create an excellent basis for your babysitter, who will get to know you and your child more closely in a very short time. You can record the answers to these and other questions in the babysitter checklist.

Babysitter Checkliste | Babysitter malt mit Kind auf die Straße

Everything at a glance: Create a babysitter checklist

In the babysitter checklist, in addition to preferences and rituals, for example also contact details of friends or neighbors noted if you are ever unreachable. In an emergency your babysitter can also find in the list the name and phone number of your child's pediatrician or the emergency hotline. We have compiled a babysitter checklist with the most important points for you to download and fill out.

Babysitter checklist for download

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