Off topic, help with babysitting ?'s....

Avatar for myprecioustwo
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-08-2003
Off topic, help with babysitting ?'s....
4
Tue, 07-12-2005 - 7:49am

Ok, off topic, but I need some help. As you all know, in 6 wks I will be officially in North Carolina. I need to be able to get out and be a woman. But I also sometimes may even have to work in the evenings or on weekends. Depending on my job.

Now I have some questions regarding babsitters. How did you go about finding one? How do you interview them? What do you pay them? I have two kids.

Can you request them to stay over night or is that a no go? Do any of you have a spend the night sitter?

What age bracket would you seek? What are things you would totally see as red flags?

Hope to get lot's of input here.

- Catherine

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-13-2005
Tue, 07-12-2005 - 8:01pm

I would take a look around at your neighbors - if you have some local girls who are nearby and can come over easily that is good. Each one has a different amount that she wants to make - from $5 to $10 per hour for 2 kids I would think.

As for spending the night - I would not do that right away - and it would depend on their parents.

Other neighbors with kids may trade sleep overs with them - you will just have to get out there and make friends.

Also there are usually after school programs - those are very easy and some will help with homework and keep them busy with activities.

signature
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-19-2004
Tue, 07-12-2005 - 8:34pm
My ex has used one of the teachers from dd's preschool as a babysitter a few times, she's worked out great. DD knows her really well (she's her favorite teacher), lives just down the street from the school, she babysits a lot of the kids and gets great reviews, and I know the school did a background check on her. I also have a friend (met her at church when I was married, and her dd went to the same preschool as my dd for a while) and dd has had a sleepover at her house once.

Photobucket

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-30-2003
Wed, 07-13-2005 - 10:46am

Churches are good places to meet sitters. Or, ask co-workers with teenagers if their kids like to babysit. In my community, some of the teenage girls advertise at our mailboxes that they babysit. I would test out any babysitter really well before I did any overnight deals. Also, check the state laws on overnight babysitting.

I think in my state, the baby sitter needs to be 17 for overnights.

Avatar for myprecioustwo
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-08-2003
Wed, 07-13-2005 - 11:09am
Well, I definitely would want to get a University student if I have an overnight deal, but I was just wondering if any of you had the experience of allowing it in your home. I get a job, that may require that I travel 25% and if it's for overnight, then I would need someone. Just figuring it out. I don't really want a teenager taking care of my girls. I don't feel they are very responsible for the most part. I guess I can try it and see in the beginning, but I rather have someone over 18.