One Great Question to Ask a Babysitter

  by Erin Leyba, LCSW, PhD

One great question to ask a babysitter in an interview or any time is:

What do you feel (we) parents can do to help you do your job easier or better?

This question tends to do a few things:

• It shows the potential babysitter that you are collaborative. It tells them you value their thoughts and ideas now and in the future.

• It teaches you. It’s a terrific skill to be able to view interactions through multiple lenses. Seeing situations through a sitter’s eyes unearths new information or issues that you may not become aware of on your own.

• It illustrates the importance of communicating with and teaming with the babysitter about kids’ schedules, temperaments, health issues, eating nuances, danger spots, potty training timelines, or sibling issues. It reiterates consistency with regard to boundaries, routines, and interventions.

• It sets the stage for a respectful partnership moving forward.

Erin Leyba, LCSW, PhD, mom to three, is a psychotherapist for individuals and couples in Chicago’s western suburbs. She specializes in counseling for parents of babies and young children. www.erinleyba.com or erinleyba@gmail.com To follow this blog by e mail, click the follow button on the left.