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Hiring Summer Sitters

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Sally Herrholz
Safe Sitter, Inc.
8604 Allisonville Road, Suite 248
Indianapolis, IN  46250
Phone:  (800) 255-4089 ext. 11
www.safesitter.org
sally@safesitter.org

Summer Sitting 

Indianapolis, IN - "When you hire a babysitter, you are hiring a person you are willing to trust with the responsibility for your child's life," says Patricia A. Keener, M.D., founder and medical director of Safe Sitter®.  The national, nonprofit organization trains young adolescents to be safe, nurturing babysitters.  "Although parents may be tempted to use young adolescents, especially siblings, for daily child care in the summer; it's not a good idea.  All-day, everyday babysitting jobs are for older teens or adults." 

Dr. Keener offers these guidelines for hiring a young babysitter this summer.

  1. Be selective.  Look for a babysitter within your circle of friends. Always check references.
  2. Match the sitter's age and experience with the job.  Don't ask a sitter to do more than he or she can handle.  Young sitters (11-year-olds) can babysit when you are at home or running to the store.  Hire 12 to 14-year-olds for sitting in the evening, but no more than twice a week.  Hire older sitters (15 to 16-year-olds) for extended outings.
  3. Try to interview a sitter in your home.  Check out the potential sitter's appearance and work habits.  Observe the interactions when your children are introduced.  Go over the house rules.  Ask "what if" scenarios such as, "What would you do if my child has a bloody nose or gets stung by a bee?"
  4. Model good behavior.  Get home on time.  Respect the sitter's time.  Their parents will worry if you're late.
  5. Prepare your sitter.  Allow time for an orientation.  Do a house tour.  Give clear instructions.
  6. Encourage safety habits.  Lock the doors.  Identify and make arrangements with an available adult neighbor who could help in an emergency.  Post emergency numbers near the phone.
  7. When you get home, ask how things went.  Tactfully correct any mistakes the sitter made.

With good training and appropriate expectations, young people can be great babysitters.