Interviewing a Babysitter: Questions You Need to Ask

Babysitting is a big responsibility. As a parent, you need to ensure that prospective babysitters are ready to accept the responsibility for your child’s care, safety, and life. After you have identified a prospective babysitter, you need to schedule an in-person or video interview.

In the interview, ask the prospective babysitter about his or her experience, training, fee, as well as several “what-if” questions. Here are seven things you should ask when interviewing a prospective sitter.

1. What experience do you have babysitting children (especially in the child’s age group)?

Newer babysitters may have experience caring for younger siblings or other family members — and that counts. If a prospective sitter has limited experience with young children, look for someone who has started with preschool-age children, as kids in that age group are mostly able to do things independently, tend to follow rules, and enjoy conversation.

Keep in mind that infants under 6 months require a much higher level of care and depend completely on their caregiver to stay safe and healthy. For infant care specifically, look for a sitter who has at least two years of experience caring for older infants and children — that experience translates to greater maturity and the ability to handle the physical and emotional demands that come with caring for the youngest children.

2. What training do you have in first aid and choking rescue?

Never hire a babysitter that is not trained to rescue a choking child or respond to an injury or illness. It is best for babysitters to complete a babysitting preparation course such as Safe Sitter® or a pediatric CPR course. Encourage prospective sitters that lack first aid experience to complete a Safe Sitter® course (grades 6-8) or an American Heart Association CPR course (grade 9 and older).

3. What training do you have in child care and babysitting skills?

Discussing money with an adult can be awkward for a teen babysitter. Experienced sitters will likely be upfront with their hourly rate while newer sitters may prefer for you to suggest a rate. The best formula to determine a fair rate is to start with the minimum wage in your area for one child and then an additional $2-$5 for each additional child.

4. What is your hourly rate to babysit?

5. What would you do if my child cries when I leave?

Asking a “what-if” question gives you an opportunity to learn how a babysitter would handle challenging behavior and the answer serves as an example of his or her behavior management skills. Prospective sitters should discuss what action they would take, such as distracting the child with a toy or game, and how they would provide comfort to the child.

6. What would you do if someone comes to the door?

One of the most important things a prospective sitter needs to do is keep your child safe. Babysitters should know to not answer the door unless they are expecting a visitor and they have permission from you to have another person come to the house during the babysitting job.

7. Are you comfortable babysitting in a home with pets (if applicable)?

It is important to let your babysitter know in advance if you have pets. Prospective sitters may have allergies to pet dander or may not be comfortable with certain pets. In addition, pets may create additional tasks during the babysitting job that the prospective sitter would need to consider.

8. Do you have any references that have observed you with children?

You will also want to ask the prospective sitter for references of other babysitting employers or adults that have observed him or her caring for children. If you are hiring a babysitter for an infant or toddler, it is always best to schedule a one-hour training/observation session (with pay) before the first babysitting job.

Summary

Before hiring a babysitter, schedule an in-person or video interview and ask about experience, training, fees, and how they would handle challenging situations.
Never hire a babysitter who is not trained to rescue a choking child or respond to an injury or illness — encourage prospective sitters without first aid training to complete a Safe Sitter® course or an American Heart Association CPR course.
When discussing rates, start with your area's minimum wage for one child and add $2–$5 for each additional child — newer sitters may prefer you to suggest a starting rate.
"What-if" questions — like what they'd do if a child cries or someone comes to the door — reveal behavior management skills and situational judgment that experience alone doesn't always show.
Ask for references from previous babysitting employers or adults who have observed the sitter with children — and for infant or toddler care, consider a paid one-hour observation session before the first job.

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