After the Interview, What Shall I Do?

13. If you already haven't done so for previous sitters, write down your house rules (again, provided the sitter will actually be coming into your home.) Don't make rules up on the fly if she asks your policy on phone calls, for instance, during the interview. The issues for which to create a policy include whether or not she should have access to a computer or internet in the home, if she is allowed to make phone calls, and if you want her to have any visitors stopping by while she is watching the children.

14. Make a list of emergency phone numbers including those of a neighbor, nearby family member, the poison control center, and the number at which you can be reached at any given time while you are gone. A cell phone, of course, works best for this purpose.

15. Make a list also of phone numbers that include contact information for the baby's doctor and the hospital's emergency room. If you live in an area where the 911 system is not being used, add numbers of police and fire station to this list.

16. Write a list of any "special" instructions that might be necessary such as any medications a child needs, and the precise amount. Also in this category, be sure she knows that she is only authorized to give any medications that you have approved.

She'll be Here Tonight! Am I Ready?

17. Do not expect the sitter to automatically remember things that you request verbally such as feeding, bath, and bed times for all of the children. Have this written down and placed in a central location along with a list of any food allergies the sitter should be aware of if you haven't prepared the food yourself before leaving. This list will be the schedule for the children, so if there is a "cut-off time" for television or playing, add it to this list. (As a side note here, many parents will not require bath time on the nights a sitter is with the children due to the safety risk factors.)

18. Show the sitter where fire extinguishers and the first aid kit are kept, and show her the fire escape route from various areas of your home.

19. Be sure the sitter knows the address and phone number of your home in case an emergency needs to be reported.

20. When the sitter arrives, show her where everything is kept that she will need to use, and where you have put the emergency numbers and special instructions.

21. Talk with the sitter about discipline and what is acceptable and not acceptable. It seems as if it should already be clear, but not so... if you don't want your children physically spanked, you need to tell the sitter that. It is something that is too important to forget. If a "time out" in separate rooms for half an hour is acceptable for when older children fight, tell her that, too, but any other forms of discipline, if they are off limits to the sitter, need to be mentioned.

22. Go over security issues if you have hired a younger sitter, such as not opening the door to strangers, or not divulging that no one older is in the house. This would include how to answer the telephone, things such as saying you are busy instead of saying you are not home, etc.

What Do I Need to Do After the Sitter Leaves?

23. Once the sitter has left your home after babysitting each time, take notice how the children are acting after she leaves and you are home again. Are they withdrawn or sad? Do they appear to be very hungry? Do they seem scared? If an infant is involved, is the baby clean and dry? Does the baby seem in distress? If older children are involved, be sure to ask them for a report of how the day or evening went. It goes without saying that new bruises on the children need to be investigated.

24. Do not ignore things that you see which may indicate that the sitter did not follow one of your house rules. Some of them would be difficult to know, but a neighbor may be able to tell you if the sitter had visitors coming to the house. If you suspect internet use after you have told her not to use it, there are histories to check. This may seem sneaky, but keep in mind that if the caretaker of the children is spending a lot of time on the internet or entertaining friends, she isn't really caring for the children at all, so it is important to be sure you know what is going on when you are not in the house.