Our kids are the most important things in the world to us. Therefore choosing a babysitter – especially if you’ve never used one before – can feel like a big, even daunting decision.
It’s also a personal decision, and nobody is a better judge than you in terms of what’s best for you and your kids.
As parents ourselves, having spoken to many others on the subject and having seen how thousands of parents are booking babysitters on Bubble, we’ve compiled a list of the things mums and dads are doing to help them get comfortable when booking a babysitter for the first time.
1. Book them a bit early
We often see parents do this when using a sitter for the first time – especially if the kids are awake. An hour, or even 30 minutes for the sitter, your kids and you to get to know each other before you need to leave is a great way for getting everyone more comfortable.
2. Stay local
If you’re not used to leaving your kids with someone else and/or you’re using a sitter for the first time, it can be a good idea to stay local for that initial sit. You can even call the sitter in whilst you’re at home, to give you an extra hand around bath-time or to let you do some work in the other room. We see quite a few parents using this tactic to help them, the sitter and their kids get comfortable with each other before becoming more adventurous!
3. Read their reviews
If the sitter has done sits before on Bubble, you can see the reviews left by other parents on the app and even message those parents if you like for more info. If the sitter is new to the app and yet to do a sit, feel free to ask them for a reference the old fashioned way!
4. Ask any friends who know them
Bubble will show you whether you have any mutual friends in common with the babysitter so absolutely use this tool to get a vouch on the sitter from the people your trust.
5. Arrange a meet-up
Feel free to ask your sitter whether they’d be willing to meet up with you before the sit, especially if you’re looking for a longer term arrangement as opposed to a one-off. Just be aware they (and we!) think it’s only fair to pay them for their time 🙂 If you’re not able to do that,
6. Ask to see their documents
If the babysitter has stated on their profile that they hold any certificates, such as First Aid or DBS/CRB, then feel free to ask them to bring it with them to the sit – they’ll have no problem with this at all.
Importantly, don’t be shy about asking for the information you need to feel comfortable with the sitter you’ve chosen. None of the requests above will come as a shock to your babysitter and they should only be too happy to oblige.
Ready to give it a go?
Open up the Bubble app for iOS or Android to browse sitters near you.
Got more questions?
Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at support@joinbubble.com.
