Checking on the babysitter

Liza Iliffe Photo/File

FROM time to time you may need a babysitter to look after your children while you take a break, get some jobs done or spend time with family, whnau or friends.

Remember that the law requires that you never leave children younger than 14 without reasonable supervision and care. So it is important to choose a babysitter who is over 14 themselves.

Often older siblings are very good babysitters, but you need to have the same expectations for them as you would of somebody from outside your family.

Remember too that teenagers are very easily distracted by their friends, phones and the internet. They need to be mature enough to be able to keep an eye on young children at all times.

Some questions to ask:

-Is your babysitter sufficiently mature and responsible to be left alone with your children?

-Does the babysitter feel happy and confident about being left? Remember to think about any risks and talk through safety issues with your babysitter before you leave.

-Can your babysitter handle any problems that might arise? -Who is close by who could help them if the need arises, and how do they contact them?

And some things for your checklist:

-You need to know about and agree beforehand to them entertaining any friends while babysitting. Also talk about other safety issues such as answering the telephone and not opening the door to strangers, as well as whether your babysitter is allowed to have guests while babysitting at your home.

-If you ask a teenager or young person to babysit, make sure your babysitter's parents or caregivers know where they are and can provide support if needed. Make sure your babysitter is safe travelling to and from your home.

-Make sure you can trust your babysitter to cope with any problems that might occur. This may depend on their experience with children and how long you need to leave them. Your sitter should arrive well ahead of your departure, so they can get to know your child. That way, if your child wakes, they will not be frightened by a stranger. This will also give you time to pass on full instructions.

-Let them know if the child has any special needs, what their favourite toy or book is, and whether they can have anything to eat or drink. They also need to know how to contact you in an emergency and how to operate nursery equipment such as cots and high chairs. They need to be familiar with any family pets.

-If you pay your babysitter, agree on a rate first, before they start. This could be an hourly rate, or a fixed amount for the evening, perhaps a higher rate for hours after midnight.

Children are our treasure and we need to make sure that we know where they are and that they are safe at all times. Having a regular babysitter helps our children to feel safe and secure when we, their main caregivers, are absent.

-For more great positive parenting tips contact Liza and Lynette at skipwhanganui@xtra.co.nz or txt/ph 027 626 1404. Check out the free SKIP resources on skip.org.nz.