Every parent has to leave the kids with a babysitter at some time. The choice can be both liberating and nerve-wracking at the same time.
The National SAFE Kids Campaign has these tips:
- Make sure the sitter is at least 13 years old;
- Ask about previous experience and ask for references;
- Ask if he or she has taken a babysitter training course;
- Find out if he or she knows infant and child CPR;
- Ask if he or she knows what to do in an emergency;
- Make sure he or she understands the importance of constant supervision.
Once you've found a sitter you're comfortable with, there's still more to do. Be sure the sitter knows where all the phones and emergency numbers are and how to reach you. Also, give the sitter written instructions about dosages and medications your child may be taking.
