I Need a Babysitter but I Am So Scared!

Hi D., I didn't know where to start either when we first had kids. We have not family near to help. I started stopping teenage girls that walked by my house after school and on weekends. I found one great girl that we use all the time. If she is not available I have asked her if she has any friends that would be interested and I found another great one that way.
There are also young elementary school teachers that could use the extra bucks so ask around at the schools.
Good Luck!

There is another website similar to care.com, called sittercity.com. I think its a paid service also, but basically what you are getting for your money is someone to do the screening. I believe they do background checks too. That would be worth it to me.

See if there is a MOMS club near you. You get to do playdates, and they are an invaluable resource for things like sitter referalls, doctor referalls, where to do your shopping, etc. I love our group. You can google moms clubs, or check your paper. You might have several. They are a lifesaver for new moms, especially when you don't have family nearby.

Look at meetup.com to see if there are any mommy groups near you. You can go and meet the moms and who knows, maybe you will make some good friends, and as a result, built in babysitting!
Check it out for your area, you might be surprised. I thought it sounded so cheesy at first, but lets face it, its hard to meet people in a new area! Good luck!!!

Hi D., I have the perfect answer for you! Go to www.Meetup.com, it's free! You put in your home zip code and a bunch of "meetups" pop up in your area. You can put your interests as "stay at home mom" or "mom groups" and then you can read about them and join. They have activities you can go to. It's a great way to meet new friends in a new area and once you get comfortable, maybe you and another couple can swap out 'date nights'! Good luck!!!

I am currently going through that right now. We just moved to florida from illinois, we have no family or friends close enough to be able to have them watch them. So I have been going on my local craigslist and responding to some of the adds that are posted in the childcare section under community. I am very detailed about what we are looking for, i tell them in the first e-mail that i will do an initial interview, and that i require refrenses, with phone numbers. I tell them i will do a background check, and check for a criminal record. I also have told anyone i respond to that it would only be occasional, and that i would probably like to meet with them several times before i leave them with the children alone. So far i have had a few people e-mail me back but no one has shown up for the initial interview. I keep trying, because like you my husband and i need a night away once a month for our own sanity. Good luck hope this helps. I know that some people would not agree with going on craigslist to find a sitter, but i am very careful, i dont give out any personal information and i would never leave my children with someone they didn't like or i didn't like. You know whats best for your children and you will make the best decision for them. I know its scary leaving them with someone new but not everyone is a bad babysitter. Good luck.

Hi,
Don't use care.com . I would call a local church, or ask your neighbors. I also agree to have your husband ask around at work. Good Luck!!

post on craigslist.. it is anonymous.. you post you want a sitter and they reply to you.. you get to screen the sitters...

You have to trust someone or you will never do anyting and your daughter will be terrified of everyone..

you should find a playgroup to join.. maybe your school district has one.. there are several playgroups run by local school districts here.. or through the county..

go to the library for toddler story time.

My daughter was extremely shy.. but after 3 yrear of playgroups and library story time and music class she is doing much much better.

Hi D.,
I know how scary it is to leave your child alone with a babysitter for the first time. We have never lived close to any relatives who could help watch our boys. Our first babysitter here in Kansas was the daughter of a woman my husband knew through work. She's only 14, but she has been one of our best sitters and my boys (ages 4, 2) just love her.
Start asking your neighbors who they use and have your husband ask around at work to see if someone has a responsible teenager looking for babysitting jobs. If you go to church, you might ask around there, too.
Once you find someone who is a possibiity, have her spend some time with your daughter while you are at home. Maybe leave the room, but listen to her interact with your child. Also, it's more work for me, but I always have the sitter come about an hour before my kids' bedtime, especially if they're someone new I'm trying. I get my kids fed, bathed and their jammies on and then all the sitter has to do is entertain them for an hour and put them to bed.
As far as getting your child around other kids her age, I highly recommend joining a moms group. There's Johnson Co. Mothers & More, MOMS Clubs, MOPS, etc. Not only will the interaction be great for your daughter, it will help you start making connections with other people around here and sometimes those people can recommend sitters, too.
Good luck!
C.

First off, always trust your instincts! Fortunately, my family is nearby and I have some good friends at work, so I'm never short for a babysitter (not that hubby and I get to have "datenight" very often)!

My suggestions to find a sitter are: attend some kind of mom & kid play group (e.g. Gymboree) and ask around (the instructors, the parents). You could also contact some nearby daycares and ask if any of their employees do babysitting "on the side." Ask around at work--you may have a coworker looking for the same thing (a babysitter for date night). Ask around at any other place you attend regularly (church, school, gym, etc). Once you narrow it down to a few possibilities, find some way to open up the conversation--over a cup of coffee, or a kids' playdate. I'd want to get to know the person really well before leaving them with my kid, so you could invite them to lunch, meet up at the park, or have them over to your house for dinner. That's a great way for them to meet your family, see how they interact with your kid, and let them see how you interact with your kid.

Good luck!

You should start slowly, and find a daycare in your area. You should start with one hour twice a week, and gradually raise it. She will be around other kids, toys, and will get distracted. You can stay with her the first time, and even hire a sitter to stay with her at the daycare. You can then go out, and she will be comfortable with the sitter.

D.,
I feel for you. We too live too far away from family to use them for sitters. The best sitter that we use actually comes from my daughter's school. She was one of the workers in her room as an infant and we still use her though she no longer works there and our oldest is 2 1/2. I agree in contacting some of the local schools, especially the bigger ones which have to have more education. It is a bit more expensive, but worth every penny. Another suggestion would be to see if your church has a nursery program. If so check and see about those teachers. They have more experience and patience with little ones, and a lot of the churches require that they go through training to be able to work there. I know that this is a hard one. Good luck.

I also suggest SitterCity.com! I have used them for years. You do have to pay a membership fee but all the candidates have been screened and other employers post comments, so you know who you're getting. You can browse on their website to see if you like it before signing up.
A church nursery is also a good place to find a sitter. If you or a friend attend a church regularly - get to know the gals who work with the kids.

That is tough - we live away from family too. I found a friend who had used a babysitter and trusted her. Then I used the sitter. I first had her come over and spend some time with the baby/toddler when I was there - to get all of us used to it. Then we'd go for a short night out - quick bite to eat and work up from there. Try not to worry, but follow your gut. If you need to use a service, the good thing is that they are screened. I still would see if you can't get a referral from someone you know at work/neighborhood etc. Enjoy your date nights - they are precious - even when you don't want to go - it's really best for everyone for you to have that couple time!