Interviewing Babysitters

Dear M.,

Most Important:
Pay attention to your gut feeling when interviewing and watch the potential babysitter interact with your children. How do they respond to her? Do you like what you see?

Also, get references and check them. She should be first aid and cpr certified. Ask her what activities she enjoys doing with children,and ask her to give examples of what specific things she would plan to do with your children. Ask about her education,and why she chooses to babysit. Ask if she has any health restrictions that might make it difficult for her to carry out her job,and if her immunizations are current. Ask about her expectations regarding pay. Check her driving record,and make sure she has insurance if she will drive your children anywhere. Create specific scenarios and ask her how she'd respond. For instance,if there is an emergency,what steps would she take and in what order? In what circumstances would she call you to check in by phone ? Ask about her overall philosophy of childcare. Ask her what she most enjoys about working with children,and what is most challenging for her. Ask what age child she most enjoys working with and why ? Ask for her ideas on how to discipline a child who is not co-operating or how she'd comfort a child who is upset. Ask her about how much tv she thinks is acceptable for children to watch.
Also, check out the printable list of Key Questions to Ask a Potential Babysitter at childcare.about.com.
It is impossible to ask too many questions when trying to find the best care for your children.
I am a childcare professional, former infant/toddler teacher,and current nanny, and I know there are a lot of excellent caregivers out there, but there are an equal number of very bad ones out there.
If you take your time,ask lots of questions, check references,and most of all, trust your instincts, you stand a chance of finding a wonderful caregiver for your children. Wishing you the best of luck in your search, L. S.
P.S. Once you find someone you like, it's a good idea to put key agreements in writing,and specify a trial period during which either party can back out if things are not working well,to save both parties from continuing on if for some reason things are not working out.

I would agree with a lot of the other responses and say that trusting your gut is most important...but I would also say that if you don't normally interview people, it can be uncomfortable. Ask about certifications...first aid, CPR...
Other babysitting situations...what was a difficult situation? How did they handle it?
Don't ask hypothetical situation questions...it gives someone the opportunity to create the best scenario...ask questions like...tell me about a time when...

One question I can think of is does she have CPR & first aid training?

Check out babysitters.com It has interview questions and interview checklists to use.

Maybe you could ask for references? The names of a family or two that she has babysat for in the past and phone #'s.

Also, even more than questions, it will be the "feel" you get from the babysitter- do they seem comfortable? honest? etc.