Guest post by Candi Wingate, Founder of and Care4Hire.com and Nannies4Hire.com

Tips for Hiring a Babysitter



Choosing who will care for your child when you are away is one of the most important decisions we make as parents, and peace of mind that your child is safe and happy is top priority. Long gone are the days when finding a babysitter was dependent on word of mouth. Today, services like Care4Hire.com provide a massive database for everyone to find their perfect child care match with just the click of a mouse. With such a vast array of qualified candidates at your fingertips, here are a few tips to help make the process easier.

Make a list of your requirements.
Before you start the interview process, it’s a good idea to figure out what you’re looking for in a babysitter. Think about the hours you require, the amount of experience you’re looking for, the type of childcare philosophy, and whether any household duties will be involved.

Do your homework.
Your child’s safety is top priority. Conduct background checks and thoroughly check references.

Ask the right questions.
These could include things like the number of years she has had as a childcare provider, what type of training has she had, what ages has she dealt with, and what her ideas are on childrearing.

Include your child.
It is best to conduct initial interviews without your child present. There is no need to confuse your son or daughter by introducing him or her to multiple caregivers who they will likely never see again. Introduce your best candidate to your child and observe how they interact together. Does the babysitter actively engage him or her? Is she keeping your child entertained?

Be clear about discipline.
The babysitter must be able to relate with your family and administer discipline to your children in a manner that is appropriate and consistent with your family’s boundaries. You and your babysitter should discuss, prior to hiring, the discipline style that your family would like the babysitter to use.

Explain boundaries.
The babysitter should be capable of handling small “crises” on his/her own. You and your babysitter should come to an agreement about what issues may warrant a call to you and what issues the babysitter is authorized to handle on his/her own. Your babysitter should be able to act comfortably within the boundaries you have provided.

Finding the right babysitter for your child is a critical decision. Take your time and be picky in your choice. Ideally, this babysitter will be in your child’s life for as long as possible so they can form a long lasting relationship and truly enjoy their time together.

Candi Wingate is an expert in the child care industry with over 20 years experience. She is the founder of Nannies4Hire.com and Care4Hire.com, and author of 100 Tips for Nannies & Families and mother of two.

By Rishma Lalani, Itsabelly Toronto Baby Planners

We all know the age old line from a little green frog “its not easy being green” but if you were in Toronto April 23-26^th at your disposal was hundreds of eco-friendly products and service providers willing to help you be as green as you want at the 3^rd annual Green Living Show.

As a continuously aspiring to be more eco-friendly mom and baby planner, the show had a plethora of information that I would love to share with all of you. In appreciation for your time to read this – I just want to give you a run down of some of my favorite stops. I was happy to run into our friends at Booda Bellie and Organic Lifestyle (do check out their new location at Liloo). Next stop was the Otterbottle – making drinking out of BPA free bottles more stylish. Then off to Planet Forward – launching at the show was a great line of modern, fashionable bottles, bags, clothing and a great MIY Green Home Kit. Can’t make it out to shop or don’t have an eco-friendly store near you? GreenCricket is here to solve your problems with a great on-line selection of green products for the entire family, pets and home. Lastly it was such a relief to know that there are now services available to help us green our homes by providing energy assessments and air quality assessments (which qualify for the government grants) helping make our homes safer for our family.

Walking down the aisles I was honestly proud to be “Torontonian”…a city that is embracing and educating us on how to live healthier and foster a more sustainable environment for our future generations. So I encourage you to think about your part in making our city an even better place to live and know that EVERY little step counts (like remembering to recycle those toilet paper rolls we so often toss in the bathroom garbage)!

By Nicole Mabry, Itsabelly Atlanta

Atlanta is home to the hospital that delivers the most babies in the United States each year. Now Atlanta is also a new home for Itsabelly Baby Planners!

When I first heard of baby planning – businesses that help expectant families with all the preparations that come along with a new arrival, my first thought was “Why isn’t anyone doing that?” My second thought was, “Why am I not doing that?” Thus, Itsabelly in Atlanta was born.

I’m Nicole Mabry, a new mom and baby planner serving the Atlanta area. When I was expecting my first child, I found myself wading through volumes and volumes of information to make the best selections of products and services for my son. I wanted to be sure I was making the safest, healthiest and most green choices for him. Sorting through that volume of information can be overwhelming for many families, but since research is my passion, I soaked it all up and soon was passing along my findings to other expectant families. Essentially, I was baby planning for friends and family, I just didn’t know it yet!

My educational and employment background is in communications and marketing, but my passion has always been planning, organizing and helping other people succeed. So far, my most important job title has been “Mommy.” I think of baby planning as being a professional “expectant mommy”. I take planning for every new arrival as much to heart as I took my own as all of our babies are precious. I truly love learning more each and every day about supporting new families in their pregnancies, with their new babies and beyond!

If you or a loved one in the Atlanta area are expecting a baby, give Itsabelly a call! We’d love to assist you with all of your baby planning needs and help you get ready for and go green with baby!

To inquire about Nicole’s services please email her at nicole@itsa-belly.com. You can also reach her by phone at 678-920-2337.