How did you find your babysitter?

[Anonymous]

I'm a first time parent, finally feeling like I'm ready to leave my 18-month old with a non-grandparent babysitter for an occasional date night or other social events. But I have no idea how to go about finding someone who I can trust! How did you find your babysitter?

[Anonymous]

Our first was a neighbor's college student home for the summer, but also recommend neighborhood listservs!

[Anonymous]

We walked up to a neighbor walking with her young-teen daughter and said "Hi, do you babysit?" We had her start out babysitting only at night after DH or I had put the baby to bed. So theoretically, she didn't have to do anything but be there.

[Anonymous]

We asked a few teachers at daycare

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We asked a few teachers at daycare

This

[Anonymous]

I got a great referral from a trusted friend - checked her in the court system online search, came up clear. Noticed when I paid her, the account name had a hyphenated last name. Searched that variation. Sure enough, she had theft charges I had missed. (And I believe she stole from me while babysitting - missing gold necklace). All this to say - I’d meet whoever once with the kids and insist on Zelle as a method of payment for that brief visit -ostensibly to compensate them for their time, but really b/c - it’s linked to their actual bank account and name. That’s how I found out of the issue.

[Anonymous]

Chat up good looking people at the mall and ask if they want to come back to your place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a first time parent, finally feeling like I'm ready to leave my 18-month old with a non-grandparent babysitter for an occasional date night or other social events. But I have no idea how to go about finding someone who I can trust! How did you find your babysitter?

Don't do it.

Only trust close, older relatives.

18 months is too young.

[Anonymous]

Neighbors or MONA or nextdoor

[Anonymous]

My neighborhood listserv. She's a teenager in the neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

Daycare teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I got a great referral from a trusted friend - checked her in the court system online search, came up clear. Noticed when I paid her, the account name had a hyphenated last name. Searched that variation. Sure enough, she had theft charges I had missed. (And I believe she stole from me while babysitting - missing gold necklace). All this to say - I’d meet whoever once with the kids and insist on Zelle as a method of payment for that brief visit -ostensibly to compensate them for their time, but really b/c - it’s linked to their actual bank account and name. That’s how I found out of the issue.

This is what scares me. We hired someone based on a recommendation on the neighborhood list serve and she was terrible. I feel like it’s so hard to trust people.

[Anonymous]

Teenage children of neighbors or daycare teacher (they are often allowed to babysit outside of work). It’s very difficult. Or word of mouth but you have to really do background checks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I got a great referral from a trusted friend - checked her in the court system online search, came up clear. Noticed when I paid her, the account name had a hyphenated last name. Searched that variation. Sure enough, she had theft charges I had missed. (And I believe she stole from me while babysitting - missing gold necklace). All this to say - I’d meet whoever once with the kids and insist on Zelle as a method of payment for that brief visit -ostensibly to compensate them for their time, but really b/c - it’s linked to their actual bank account and name. That’s how I found out of the issue.

This is what scares me. We hired someone based on a recommendation on the neighborhood list serve and she was terrible. I feel like it’s so hard to trust people.

Go with older people, or ask someone really uptight for a rec. For real.

[Anonymous]

Found ours on Care.com. They are both fabulous. Use your judgment and you'll be fine.