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[quote=Anonymous]I agree with nannydeb regarding no sneaking out after your daughter goes to bed. It's a recipe for disaster if your daughter happens to wake up on that particular night. I agreed to this arrangement (against the red flags it raised for me) with one family who assured me they had been doing this weekly for seven months and their toddler had never once woken up. I babysat for them twice and guess what?! The toddler (the one who supposedly always slept through the night) woke up both times and freaked out at the sight of a stranger walking into his room (he had only met me briefly when I met the family for the first time). Add to that the fact that the entire house was wired with cameras so the parents were able to watch the entire thing unfold from their smartphones. Fun times.

Your best bet is to do something along the lines of what nannydeb suggested if you're concerned about the anxiety and want to slowly get your daughter used to someone. It's also quite possible that she would calm down quicker than you anticipate if the sitter is a good fit. Every child is different and you ultimately don't know how things will go until you try it. In the end your daughter will adjust no matter what route you decide upon. A good sitter will be able to read your daughter's cues on how to respond to her when she does get upset. I've watched some toddler who needed to be held and distracted and others who did best if I kept my distance (still within a couple of feet) and quietly played with some toys or read one of their books aloud until they felt ready for interaction. [/quote]

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