what to ask a parent during babysitting interview

Whether you lot're at a babysitter interview or the parents are about to leave you alone with their children for the dark, it's always meliorate to ask more than questions than not enough.

Questions babysitters should ask parents:

• Have you had a babysitter before?
• What kind of snacks are the children allowed to have?
• Who exercise I contact In an emergency?
• What kind of games exercise your children similar to play?
• Exercise you have a first aid kit?
• What other tasks do you expect of me?
• Practise the children accept any chores?
• Are at that place rules about screen time?
• Do you accept whatever questions for me?

In this article, I'll walk y'all through a list of questions that every babysitter should inquire parents. Asking these questions in advance can assist to avoid some unnecessary difficulties or misunderstandings.

i. Have You Had a Babysitter Before?

It's skilful to find out if a family has worked with a bodyguard previously.

If information technology's the showtime time the parents accept ever left their kid alone with a sitter, they might exist a bit more than anxious almost the entire process and demand some extra reassurance. They could also have some unrealistic expectations or beliefs about babysitters since they've never worked with one before.

If a family unit has used a babysitter before, it's useful to ask what sorts of things they liked and disliked nearly their previous bodyguard. This will requite y'all some articulate ideas to focus on, and potential areas to avert. You don't necessarily want to gossip about all their by sitters for a long time, but it's adept to go a few insights.

This conversation volition tell y'all what is important to your employer and what kind of expectations they accept for you lot. For example, if their biggest complaint was that their terminal sitter was always showing up late, make sure that punctuality is a priority for you.

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If a family has hired tons of babysitters before but none of them actually stuck effectually, this could possibly exist a potential red flag for you. If you hear this during an interview and you get the feeling that the parents might not exist reasonable, you may want to skip that particular job. It may hateful that the parents have unreasonable expectations, or it could be that they just had a cord of bad luck with past babysitters. So it's of import to trust your gut in this instance.

two. Tin You Walk Me Through Your Typical Evening?

Inquire the parent to walk you lot through what their typical evening would look similar, or the average weekend or day, depending on exactly what timeframe y'all'll exist babysitting during.

Inquire well-nigh their usual routines, who the children normally interact with, and any other important details.

Understanding how the children spend their time, will help you to better plan and construction your babysitting time with them. If you can friction match their usual routine, information technology will probably cause less upheaval than throwing them into a make new schedule.

These questions can also help constitute whether you are a good match with the family unit or non. If the kid yous'll be babysitting does three hours of loud piano practice every Saturday night when you'll exist watching them and y'all don't recollect you tin handle that, now is a expert time to find out. Particularly if they're just learning as information technology won't exactly exist music to your ears!

You don't have to act like an exact clone of the parent you're babysitting for and follow their routine exactly. Only keeping it pretty close will assistance build trust and make the kid experience more rubber and secure, particularly in the beginning. Of course, it's great to mix in a few fun activities that the child simply gets to practice with you as a bodyguard equally well!

3. Do Yous Accept Any Cultural or Religious Practices I Should Be Aware Of?

Nowadays we live in a multicultural society more than ever before. Then information technology'due south important to be sensitive to a family unit's religion or civilization while babysitting for them and exist enlightened that some families may accept different behavior than your own.

Families may accept all kinds of different community that they would prefer you to follow when you're in their abode.

It could include things like taking your shoes off before y'all enter their dwelling, abstaining from certain foods, roofing up tattoos and removing piercings, not celebrating sure holidays, facilitating their children praying before meals, at bedtime, or other times of the day, and lots more.

It's not ever obvious whether a particular family has dissimilar religious or cultural beliefs from you. So it's best to ask this question of every new family that you lot babysit for, only for the sake of sensitivity to their particular situation.

4. What Kind of Snacks Are the Children Immune To Have?

The children you're babysitting might try and convince you that they're allowed to eat cookies at ix pm. But unless you ask their parents beforehand you can never be 100% sure they are telling the truth! That style you won't accept to second-judge yourself when kids throw out crazy suggestions on what they can consume.

Ask parents ahead of fourth dimension what their children can and can't have. Also ask virtually any restrictions before bed, as at that place are probably some foods they aren't allowed to swallow for an hour or two before they become to sleep. Peculiarly sugary foods or drinks with caffeine that will go along them awake and full of energy.

5. Who Do I Contact In An Emergency?

Earlier parents go out for the night, you should take a list of phone numbers and resources in case of any kind of emergency. You lot should take the phone numbers for parents, as well every bit family members and friends, your local poison control number, and other emergency numbers that you need to have handy in instance the worst happens.

Use my handy printable Parent Details Form to make full out basic data you'll need for each family that you babysit for!

half-dozen. What Kind of Games Do Your Children Similar To Play?

If you're going to be playing with the children all day, information technology's good to get an idea of what some of their favorite activities and games are. Particularly if they're too immature to answer for themselves.

Ask parents what their children like to do in their spare time. What are their favorite books, toys, and activities?e. You might also want to ask if they have imaginary friends and what neighborhood children they are allowed to play with and when?

Asking in advance ways you lot won't accept to utilise trial and error to figure out what the children want to do or who they can play with later on their parents have left.

Demand some new game ideas? Read my article Fun Things To Do While Babysitting, which has over 205 games and activities.

7. Can I Do My Own Thing After The Children Are Asleep?

Once the children you're babysitting have gone to bed, you might want to catch up on some homework, text your friends, or just sentry some telly.

Usually, parents are fine with this as long as you're still checking on their children once and a while. But it's a good idea to get explicit permission first.

This is a good segway into asking a family for permission to use their wifi and what their password is. Some families might not be comfy sharing their wifi with you and you lot should respect that, merely it also doesn't injure to inquire.

Are you lot struggling to become children to bed? See my article How to go children to bed when babysitting.

8. Practice You Have Any Pets?

You lot should be enlightened of any pets that a family has. Fifty-fifty if they don't have a dog or cat that might need attention or to be let outside, you should know whether the family has a snake or hamster in case information technology escapes!

If you're allergic to pet hair, it'south good to know in advance and so that you tin can accept an antihistamine before y'all go to babysit.

Take a phobia of certain kinds of pets? You should discuss with parents in advance to run into if they can confine them to one room that you don't demand to become into.

9. What Practise I Do In Case of a Power Outage?

It's good to ask if the family unit has a flashlight that you lot tin use in case of a power outage, and where it'south located. Information technology's not that uncommon for a thunderstorm during the summer to knock out power for a few hours at a time in some places.

You should enquire where their fuse box is located and know how to reset it in case of whatsoever sort of electric malfunction if you feel comfortable with doing that. Commonly it's every bit easy as flipping a switch back on. They might also take a backup generator or some other power source.

Worst case scenario, you lot'll demand some kind of battery-powered light source to aid kids brush their teeth and put them to bed if it doesn't seem like the electricity will come up dorsum on any time soon.

x. Exercise Yous Have A Kickoff Help Kit?

All babysitters should be trained in First Aid, but information technology's not much use if you lot don't also know where a family keeps their first aid supplies.

Some families may not have a full-diddled beginning aid kit, but you should at to the lowest degree know where they go on nuts like band-aids and water ice packs in instance a child gets hurt.

It'southward a adept idea to continue a miniature first help kit in your babysitter binder or bag. You can never be as well prepared.

At Kidsit we recommend this portable commencement aid kit, it'south not expensive and it's packed with the perfect supplies for babysitting!

If you lot don't take a babysitting binder all the same, check out my article on how to brand one and what you should include in it.

When a child is crying and in hurting, you want to know exactly where the medical supplies are so that you don't have to beginning sifting through drawers to detect them.

11. What Other Tasks Do You lot Expect of Me?

Ideally, you should have this chat during the interview stage with a new family that you're considering babysitting for.

You need to know what kind of tasks they expect of you before you start working for them. Otherwise, how do yous know if the job is a good fit for yous or not?

They may have specific responsibilities and duties that they had in mind such as cooking meals, washing clothes, helping with homework, or cleaning. Some of these tasks y'all may not be comfy with, or y'all may want increased pay for taking on extra piece of work.

If some of the expected tasks are exterior of your comfort zone, it'due south best to talk about it upfront and come to some kind of understanding beforehand.

Not sure what kind of tasks are reasonable? Check out my commodity: Should Babysitters Clean?

12. Do The Children Take Any Chores or Responsibilities?

I recommend request parents most any responsibilities that their children may have. Otherwise, don't be surprised if they try to pass some of their tasks on to you every bit the babysitter!

A kid might be expected to load up the dishwasher later dinner each night. Simply if y'all don't know that, you might automatically take on some of their chores without knowing it.

13. Are There Rules Well-nigh Screen Time?

Nearly parents will have rules regarding screen time. This includes television, the cyberspace, using tablets or jail cell phones, and any other types of screens.

Parents might have limits on how much time kids tin can spend on their devices per twenty-four hours. Or they might enforce a pause afterwards kids have been using a device for a certain amount of time, such equally a 15-minute break each hour.

Younger children might only be allowed an hour or less of screen fourth dimension per twenty-four hours, or none at all. And when they can, information technology's usually simply after all of their homework and other tasks for the day are done.

Just like children insisting they're allowed to swallow cookies or cake before bed, there will always exist that i kid who tries to convince you that their parents are fine with them playing video games all nighttime. Check with parents first to avert any confusion.

14. Do Your Children Have Any Medical Conditions or Allergies?

Allergies to things like nuts, shellfish, bee stings, dear, and plenty of other things are quite common. It can likewise include certain foods like soy or dairy that y'all might not think to check ingredient labels for.

Allergic reactions can include everything from a fleck of discomfort, all the way to anaphylaxis (or the child's throat swelling close so they tin can't breathe.) It's best to treat all allergies every bit if they are life-threatening. Considering even if they aren't, yous'll at least stop upwardly with an unhappy child if you betrayal them to something they're allergic to.

If children have severe allergies, they will normally have an Epi-pen in example they have a reaction. Make sure to go parents to explain how to utilise it.

You should likewise exist enlightened of whatsoever other medical conditions that the children might have, such equally hemophilia, epilepsy, asthma, or others. If the children need to accept any medication, information technology'due south important to know how it'due south administered and when they have to take it.

xv. Do Your Children Accept Any Phobias?

It'due south important to be aware of any fears that children may have. That mode you can avoid them, or help put their minds at ease if they're unavoidable. For case, lots of children are afraid of the dark and might want you to help check under the bed or in their closets earlier they are willing to go to bed. Others are afraid of the dark and may need a dark low-cal or special toy to slumber.

Children can be scared of the weirdest things, even things that seem perfectly normal to the states when we're older. As a kid, I was terrified of mirrors when information technology was dark!

16. Do Your Children Accept Any Self-Soothing Habits or Calming Toys?

When children are scared, tired, or upset they can develop cocky-soothing habits or need help to calm down with their favorite teddy or coating. There are certain habits like thumb sucking, twirling pilus or cuddling their Mom's favorite shirt that can help children calm down quickly. These self-soothing habits or attachment to calming toys are very common for children to accept. Depending on the child's historic period, some parents might want you to either encourage or discourage this kind of beliefs when yous see it.

Some children can besides have unusual habits that develop seemingly for no reason. It's worth knowing almost these behaviors in advance, just and then that they don't catch y'all off-baby-sit or become a crusade for concern if they're just normal for that child.

17. Is In that location Whatsoever Homework To Be Washed?

This is a good i to ask any time that you're babysitting in the evening on a school night.

Most children have some kind of homework they're expected to exercise each night. Whether that'south reading, doing math, spelling, or practicing a musical instrument.

Information technology's good to take an inventory of what they need to do for the evening in accelerate. That style you lot both won't get into trouble with their parents if it's not done!

If the children you're babysitting have a specific fourth dimension each night that they sit down down to do their schoolwork, it's adept to exist aware of that routine and try to stick to a similar schedule.

18. How Is Discipline Handled?

Every parent will handle disciplining their child a little bit differently.

There might be specific areas that parents really want you to focus on as well. For example, are they struggling with sharing with other children? Is there a sibling rivalry that they're trying to discourage? Exercise they want the children to say 'please' and 'give thanks-you' more often?

You'll desire to know at what indicate you should intervene with discipline, and what that subject area should entail. Some parents may put their children in a time out, others may use positive discipline, and others may simply let their child cry it out. You'll want to notice out what parents are comfy with you using, and stick to it.

Yous should also exist comfy with the discipline routine as well.Even if parents are okay with spanking their child, babysitters should never physically subject area children.

(Subject field can be handled differently for children of unlike age groups. Read my commodity How To Babysit Preschoolers for specific needs, discipline methods, and common mistakes for that age.)

19. How Will Nosotros Communicate?

Later on your babysitting interview, you lot'll demand to institute some way to arrive bear upon. That fashion parents can reach out to y'all when they demand a babysitter.

Inquire parents if they prefer to communicate via phone calls, text, or some other method. It's also worth request if they would similar any periodic updates from you while you lot're babysitting, just to let them know how things are going. Some parents like updates while others prefer not to be bothered.

It's good to know what type of communication parents await, and how often they desire to be contacted.

20. Do You Take Any Questions For Me?

After you've had a chance to ask parents all of the questions that you want, it'due south good to offer them the aforementioned opportunity.

Letting parents ask you questions tin help put their mind at ease and ensure any final nagging issues are resolved. Or it might bring upward something you hadn't thought about before.

Conclusion

Asking questions is a great way to get to know the family y'all'll be babysitting for a fleck improve.

Some questions regarding medical atmospheric condition or allergies may literally be a matter of life and decease! While other things like asking when children typically become to bed will just make your job babysitting a chip easier.

Don't exist agape to ask parents lots of questions. Particularly the first time that you babysit for them. This shows you're taking the task seriously and desire to provide keen care for their children.

Download our checklist

Take this handy checklist of our top twenty questions to inquire parents to your babysitting interviews and so y'all know just what to inquire.

Free Download
(questions-babysitters-should-inquire-parents.pdf 49kb)

Likewise, come across our other handy babysitting checklists.

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Matthew Taylor

I'm a father of three beautiful kids from Sydney, Commonwealth of australia and I'grand the writer of Babysitting Business Secrets, a book designed to assist anyone to create their own successful and profitable babysitting service. I founded Kidsit in 2018 to bring together babysitters, parents, childcare workers, teachers, and medical professionals to help create the virtually trustworthy babysitting resource on the internet.

Renee Irving Lee, B.Ed.

Renee is a children's writer and freelance author from the Sunshine Coast, Australia. She has 20 years of combined experience working with children as a babysitter, swim coach, special education instructor and an after-hours care supervisor.

As an Amazon Acquaintance I earn from qualifying purchases.

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