Finding the right babysitter for your family can feel like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be! Whether you’re planning a weekend date night or looking for ongoing childcare during the work week, ensuring your babysitter is the perfect match is key.
“Interview” sounds formal, but a quick meet-up with a potential babysitter or nanny is a great way to align on expectations and house rules. Think of it as an opportunity to get a sense of their babysitting skills, personality, and how they might fit with your family dynamic. After all, a great babysitter is more than just someone who watches your kids; they’re a caregiver, a problem-solver, and sometimes even an honorary family member!
The Bambino babysitting app carefully vets all local Sitters, but real peace of mind for parents comes when you meet your babysitter face-to-face. With the right interview questions to ask babysitters, you’ll feel confident you’ve found childcare that’s safe and fun for your children!
Start with Basic Get-To-Know-You Babysitter Interview Questions
The babysitter you’re interviewing may be nervous, so there’s no need to break out the hard-hitting questions early. Start by getting to know your potential babysitter and make sure they’re comfortable. When everyone is at ease, you can tell how well someone’s personality may mesh with your family’s!
- How long have you worked in childcare, and what is your babysitting experience?
- What is your hourly rate and availability?
- (*Pro tip: The Bambino babysitting app shows you a Sitter’s availability and rate, so there’s no need to negotiate!)
- What age group do you have the most experience babysitting for?
- How do you handle emergencies? Are you CPR and first-aid certified?
- What is your experience with preparing basic meals and/or bottles?
- Are you comfortable cleaning up after children and conducting basic housekeeping chores?
- Do you have any references I may contact?
- (Pro tip: Using a babysitter app like Bambino allows you access to a Sitter’s references and recommendations!)
- How do you handle food allergies or specific dietary needs?
- How do you handle screen time for kids?
Next, Go Deeper With In-Depth Babysitter Interview Questions
This is when you can get more specific with your household expectations and your children’s needs. Make sure to use open-ended questions with your potential babysitter instead of yes or no questions!
- How do you adjust to the different behaviors of various children?
- How do you effectively communicate with parents and children?
- How do you respond to upset children and/or tantrums?
- Describe some of your best babysitting techniques.
Finally, Ask Fun Babysitter Interview Questions to Learn Their Personality
If the babysitter interview is going well, you can dive into more fun questions!
- What is your favorite activity to do with children?
- What personal qualities of yours make you the best babysitter?
- What is your secret to successful babysitting?
Do you have a dog that needs exercise? A kiddo who needs special medication? Or a carpool that requires a Sitter to use their own vehicle? This is the time to talk about it!
Make sure to give your potential babysitter ample time to think about and thoroughly answer each question so that they feel comfortable and confident, too.
Use the Bambino Sitters babysitting app to find vetted, verified, and local community-recommended childcare. Download the free app today!