Babysitters: Family or Teenagers?

[MosMom]

I've always had family watch my kids because I don't trust anyone else. Well, I don't speak to my mother anymore (turns out she was probably worse than a teenager for watching the kids) and my cousin (who is a responsible teenager) is leaving for college in 2 weeks.

I fear I will never have a date with DH again until next summer when my cousin comes home. I really have a hard time trusting a kid to watch my kids EVEN THOUGH *I* was 13 and babysitting. I was quite responsible at it too!

How did you find your babysitter? Is she/he family or a random teenager from the neighborhood? If so, did you require them to have a safe babysitting course? I was thinking about "trying out" a few girls from the neighborhood by having them babysit while I am home. Just so I can get some work done.

Yeah, I know I'm crazy...no need to remind me.

 

[Disneymoon04]

With a random teenager, as with any 'job' ask for references from previous families! It should help to give you peace of mind.

 

[Mimi Q]

Only relatives for us, but I couldn't tell you the last time my husband and I got to go out by ourselves. We always plan to but never get around to it.

 

[Evil Princess]

I don't use a babysitter, considering I'm 18, but maybe this will help.

I was babysitting from 13 til about 17. I had also worked at daycamp for three summers. I was often referred by parents of kids I already babysit for, or my campers would beg their moms to let me come over (I love kids).

Ask friends or neighbors if they know of any babysitters or have had good experiences with one in particular in the past. My parents used two girls who lived on my street who I ADORED when I was younger. When one sister graduated and went to college, the younger sister took over. Everything went smoothly, the only time my grandparents babysat was when my parents took a long weekend for an anniversary.

 

[Wendy]

My kids have 2 sets of grandparents, 2 aunts and 2 uncles, 2 step-aunts, and 2 sets of Godparents that all live within 15 minutes of us. That means we've never left them with a teenager. Although, my boys have a couple of older teenage girls from their cheerleading gym that they have wrapped around their fingers. They keep asking if they can babysit sometime. If the need ever arose, I would definitely trust them to babysit, I just haven't ever needed a paid babysitter before.

 

[debster812]

I had always used family, up until DS was 3 and a half or so, and then it dawned on me! He attends day care in a fairly large, national center. Every single caregiver in the Center is State Certified, First Aid and CPR certified, and *really* good with kids. I know your children are not in a day care, but if you have a Center near you, that you have heard good things about, why not give a call, speak to the Director, and get thier reccommendations.

And as always, meet them first, check references, etc, but it always made me feel better. DS now can't wait for Miss Ashley to come and play with him, and he has a blast with her. (She is 23 years old, and can take him for Pizza, or something fun too, so they are not stuck in the house the whole time we are out).

Good Luck, with whatever you decide. It's NEVER easy leaving our babies with someone else.

Debbie

 

[RNMOM]

Yep, what evil princess said.

We have NO family to watch kids. We lived in Utah with first DS and then had second DS in Illinois. We were/ are alone. I posted a note at the nearby junior college for a sitter and I found a gem. I loved Laura. Miss her a bunch. She was like one of the family.

I found people who worked for the day care and for the YMCA we attended that were good with kids. I had to pay them quite a bit better than younger teens but the once or twice I used teens convinced me my rambunctious boys needed experienced people. I usually OVER paid my sitters and fed them well. I had loyalty that way.
When I was in nursing school, we had a list of people who needed sitters and we were all very busy. I sat every weekend and then some. In 72-75 the base pay was .50 cents. That is one reason I always paid well. I was too timid to ask for more. I had several regular clients and when I had to leave for rotations to other hospitals, They asked me to refer younger students cause they wanted my input. Made me feel good.

 

[cinmell]

We are fortunate enough to have family close by to babysit. We have my mother and my inlaws within a five minute drive and my cousin and aunt right downstairs.

 

[Gette88]

Family for us and even thats kard. I really only like having my mom watch DD's but she's really not one to babysit. We usually bring the kids with us. My birthday is coming up and all I want is DH and I to go see PotC alone. I'll bet it won't happen. It's not his fault it's just hard to get a sitter.

 

[peg2001]

I would never leave my kids with a teenager. I'm sorry, but a fun night out is not worth the risks, IMHO.

We are lucky enough to have family close by and they are our usual choice. When we leave the children with non-family, our choices are adult friends, usually with kids of their own. We trade off and will offer to watch their kids another time.

Now, we have made use of a young girl (from age 9) to come to the house to play/distract the children while we are home in order to get some things done. We paid her as if she was babysitting but we never left the house.

Peggy

 

[Steve H.]

We have both family (mostly my MIL) and a teenager (I wouldn't call her "random", but not exactly a family friend either) babysit for us.

Our regular babysitter is an extremely wonderful, very responsible 18 year old (who, unfortunately, is leaving for college soon ) who DS absolutely adores. We feel very comfortable with her around him, so much so that she takes him out to dinner, to the pool (she's a certified lifeguard and WSI), to the park, etc. We've been very lucky and fortunate to have found her for the past couple years.

 

[tkd lisa]

Chalk us up for the random teenager, but with the reference check. We've also used employees at the day care center near us, as well as local college students. We are 1000 miles from family so that isn't an option.

For this summer, we posted a note and a global email at the college and interviewed several candidates and checked references. We also over-pay ($5 an hour when the going rate is $3), because I think it's worth it.

 

[nkjzmom]

We use both....for a weekend away for our anniversary we'll have my sister and her husband stay over, or the kids will spend the night with Gma and Gpa. For a dinner/movie night we'll have a teenager from church come over. These are girls that we've known since I was babysitting THEM!!!

 

[Talking Hands]

Any of the choices depending on the situation. My first sitter was a young lady in my building who was a nursing student. She had cared for my daughter in NICU so was familiar with her needs. I have used church teens recommended by the youth minsiter or the Sunday School teacher. I have also dropped them because of information given from the same sources. Also have used relatives and friends at times.
Never used a random teenager though. Teens all were screened and well know to us. Also we required they take the local hospitals babysitter training and know CPR and basic first aid.

 

[cabmom]

I can't rely on my family. When I moved back to my home town I found a wonderful teenager with excellent morals and values. She loves my children and we love her. She is going to college this fall, but will still be available to us! Phew!!! I tend to lean towards girls over 17. I have 3 boys under 7.