How do I find the right babysitter?

Babysitter listings can be found easily: By recommendation from friends or acquaintances, via an online portal, or from teenagers in the neighborhood. If you think you have found someone, invite them to an initial meeting at your home. That way you can get to know each other. You can also start slowly and initially let your child play with the babysitter for one to two hours, for example while you go shopping. This allows everyone to test whether they get along well. What you should pay attention to at the first meeting:

• Personality: How does the babysitter come across to you? Reliable, trustworthy and open to children?

• Relationship with your child: Observe how the babysitter approaches your child and how the two of them get along. Not every child will immediately start hugging the babysitter, but the sitter should show some interest.

• Experience: Does the babysitter have younger siblings or have they frequently looked after children? Perhaps you also hire a student of educational sciences or an aspiring social pedagogue.

• Interest: Does the babysitter ask important questions about your child at the first meeting, for example about habits or preferences? Or are they just after the money?

• First aid: Babysitters should at least know the basics for emergencies.

• Babysitter diploma: In a multi-hour seminar, important information about childcare is conveyed. Additionally, the training also includes a first-aid course. The diploma is offered for babysitters aged 14 and up, for example by the DRK or by adult education centers (Volkshochschulen).

• Feeling: At the end of the first meeting you should trust your gut feeling. Could you leave your child alone with the babysitter in good conscience?

Hiring a babysitter: What should parents look out for?

• Insurance: Your babysitter must have liability insurance. Minors are usually covered through their parents. However, it is important that the insurance contract contains 'Beschäftigung im Auftrag'. In other cases, insurers often refuse to cover damages.

• When the doorbell rings: Clarify in advance whether your babysitter should answer the phone or not and what should be told to the caller. You should also discuss how they should behave towards strangers at the door.

• Finances: Ask your babysitter if you can transfer the salary. Only then can the salary be deducted in the tax return as special expenses, business expenses or advertising costs. As proof, the tax office usually requires the bank statement.

• Accidents: Because 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 insured against accidents. That costs you about 50 euros per year. If you forget to register your babysitter, fines may be imposed.

What does our babysitter need to know?

To ensure your babysitter gets off to a good start in the new role, you should make sure that they know you, your child and the Rules in your household well. Keep in mind that they will 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, make notes of all special details about your child, your home and the habits and rituals you follow in daily life. These are small details that may not seem important at first – but with a view to a longer-term engagement of your babysitter can help ensure the cooperation is successful and your child is well cared for.

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 lunchtime and in the evening are there that the babysitter should know?

• What does your child like doing most? What are their favorite stuffed animals, toys, books or songs?

• What are your child's favorite dishes? Are there intolerances or allergies that your babysitter should be aware of?

• 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 follow?

• Are there certain things your child is currently learning that the babysitter can or should encourage?

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

• How is your child right now? Is it feeling unwell or lively?

• Did your child sleep well or poorly?

• Does your child currently need to take any medication?

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 no time. You can record the answers to these and other questions in the babysitter checklist.

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 are noted if you are not reachable. In an emergency your babysitter will also find in the list the name and telephone number of your pediatrician or the emergency hotline. We have put together a babysitter checklist with the most important points for you to download and fill out.

Image credits

Mother with child on her feet - © Halfpoint www.stock.adobe.com

Woman with child in a stroller - © New Africa www.stock.adobe.com

Children place cucumber slices on their mother - © Halfpoint www.stock.adobe.com

Two children draw with chalk on the street - © New Africa www.stock.adobe.com