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Safety Tips for Hiring a Teen Babysitter + FREE “While We Are Out” Printable

 Safety Tips for Hiring a Teen Babysitter + FREE "While We Are Out" Printable

 

Hiring a babysitter for your children can be a long process, but once you find a babysitter you can trust, you’ll be able to rest easy with your choice. If you’re thinking about hiring a teen as your babysitter, then there are a few safety considerations you’ll need to take. Does this teen have experience? Are they responsible? Would they know what to do in an emergency? These are all questions you need to consider. Check out these safety tips that will help you answer these questions when hiring a teen babysitter.

 

Ask for References

If you’re ready to hire a teen to babysit your children, then you’ll want to ask for references. If the teen has experience babysitting already, then you can ask for the contact information for the families they help. If this is a first-time babysitting gig, then you’ll want the teen to provide personal references, such as a youth pastor or teacher that can vouch for their character. Once you have them, be sure to check these references so that you can decide whether this teenager is a good fit to watch your children.

Meet the Parents

Don’t be afraid to meet the teen’s parents before hiring them as a babysitter. You can use this meeting to find out what house rules the teenager has at home, letting you know what the teen is responsible for there. If the teen follows their parents’ house rules, they’ll be more likely to follow your rules as well.

Set Up CPR Training

Unfortunately, accidents happen. No matter how safe you are, your kids can have an accident and get hurt no matter who is watching them. Because of this, it’s important that your babysitter have the skills needed to handle an emergency situation. Ask the teenager if they are CPR certified. If they aren’t, you might want to invest some money in a CPR training course for your babysitter to take. These courses are usually reasonably priced, and you’ll feel confident know that your babysitter will know how to handle an emergency situation.

Ask Some Personal Questions

Before hiring a teen babysitter, you’ll want to ask some personal questions. Some great things to ask about include what the teen’s grades are, as well as what responsibilities they have at school and at home. These personal questions will help you gauge the level of responsibility the teen feels comfortable with, which in turn allows you to decide if the teenager is a good fit for your family.

 

 FREE “While We Are Out” Printable

Once you’ve found a babysitter you will want to take extra steps to ensure they are prepared for any situation – from being able to follow your child’s routine to what they should do during an emergency.  I’m sharing with you a completely free printable to fill out and leave for your babysitter to follow.  Just click the image to save, then print over and over again as needed so you can  enjoy a little piece of mind while you are out.

While We Are Out Free Printable to leave for your teen babysitter so they are prepared for emergencies while babysitting your children! Download the While We Are Out free printable!

 

What do you look for in a babysitter?

 

Maddie

Monday 4th of January 2016

I am 18 and have been babysitting since I was 14. As a babysitter, an "off limits" and "bedtime routine" list is really nice to have! Usually I can tell when the kids are pushing the limits but when I'm babysitting for a family for the first time, it's nice to know all of their rules and expectations! I am CPR certified and I have worked with kids through summer camps/day cares but I can gladly say that I have never experienced any emergency situations! Although they are rare, you can never be too safe!

WeNeedANanny - Calgary Nannies

Friday 4th of December 2015

it is important for parents to take steps to ensure the safety of their children especially when they are searching for babysitters and nannies. This is a good blog post with a lot of useful information. Well Done!

Victoria Ess

Wednesday 30th of September 2015

Thanks for the printable! That's really smart!

kathy downey

Saturday 16th of May 2015

I love the printable chart thaanks

nicole dziedzic

Monday 6th of April 2015

I love this idea of the printable, perfect to keep everything in one place and on the fridge, that way I don't have to worry as a mom.