Finding a Sitter for Your Child – Made Simple
August 5th, 2010 
Carol 
One challenge busy parents face is finding a sitter, but there are many safe, effective ways to find new sitters you can trust:
• Talk to your friends at work, school, church, etc. Ask your friends which babysitters they use and if they would mind sharing and making an introduction. Also, ask your friends if any of their children have begun babysitting. It is easy to lose track of kids’ ages and before you know it, they’ve graduated from high school and are off to college (and you’ve potentially missed out on a great sitter).
• Join your local moms network. Many mom groups have sprouted all over the country and the best ones often focus on moms in your specific, local community. Your local moms network is an invaluable resource helping families, schools and the entire local community. Families in these networks often post messages or send e-mails looking for babysitters or informing the network that their teenager is available to babysit.
• Check out quality online resources. There are many websites that will find a local sitter for you, but not all sites are created equal. Evaluate the site thoroughly to find out what kind of security checks they provide and when the last check was completed on the individual of interest. Not all sites perform security and reference checks, presenting a major safety issue. Once you find a candidate, have your own interview, security check and reference follow-up. It may feel awkward, but I also recommend working in the home the first day or two your new sitter works for you, until you feel completely comfortable entrusting them with your children.
Elsa Englund Kayuha, M.D., mother of four children and founder of GotSitter.com
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