Have you ever hired a babysitter?

You say you and your husband want to go out. For what? Don`t you have space in your house to carry out your affairs? Can`t you talk at home? If you want so much of independence ignoring your own children, what for you had children? Never let the children on their own because they are ignorant. Try to do what all you want at home only.

Hello Friend, I didnot have any difficulty in bringing up my children as my wife is a homemaker.She brought up the children taking care of their requirements. Hi I have a suggestion. You can have some patience and sacrifice your entertainment for another two to three years and take care of the children.You have an advantage that your mother is with you to guide you with suitable words.

Hey there. Great screen name! hehehehe. Like you, we don't have family to watch our son. We live in different states from our parents, etc. Anyway, I dont know about your area but on my local craigslist.org, under childcare, there are a ton of people posting about wanting to watch your children or having openings! As far as rates, they vary considerably in my area, so it may be different for you.

I recommended better you did not need to employ a person baby sitter because according to me that was inefficient, but when you indeed needed why did not ask for help your relatives or your brother to guard your child when you did not want to hand over your child to the person who was not known by you, that I suggested and better you took care of your child to yourself yourself, will you think when old later they will ask the old people's home to look after you when you did not agree then take care of your child with your hands personally and gave him your affection because that was that he needed.

I think ur idea for hiring a baby sitter is good. But before doing that u must enquire abt it with any experienced hands. You can hire one frm a trustable agency. So u will get b-sitters with lots of experience and all, coz this is some thing realted with your kids. I hope that i'm rite...

I do not trust babysitter, prefer to stay home with my child.

In all honesty, I have never really hired a babysitter for my daughter. She is going to be three in a couple of weeks. My boyfriend and I rarely get any time alone, but if we do, we usually rely on family for a few hours. I am not sure about the services that are avaiable in your area, but about ten years ago I took a babysitting class that was offered by my local Red Cross chapter. I got a certificate to show parents, but they also kept a list at the office so that they could give parents names of babysitters who have taken the course. I am not sure if something like that is still offered, because it was a long time ago. But, even if the Red Cross doesn't do something like that, there may also be others in your area. Also, our local high school kept a list of students who offered babysitting services. I went to a small high school though, so it was easy to keep track of the students. I also know that my high school wouldn't just put any name on the list. You had to meet certian qualifations to be on that list. I hope that you can find someone who you can end up trusting to watch your children. Good luck.

honestly i have hired a baby sitter before. Since i have twins i hired two babysitter before. They are still young and nice. Although the other one makes me angry sometimes becoz she sometimes hit my kids which makes me feel angry. Ofcourse i love my kids and dont want anybody to hurt them. So if ever u want to get a babysitter be sure to know her well so u will not have any problem. God Bless Hapy New Yea

Well our old caregiver sometimes does babysitting, and when she isn't available my parents babysit. My kids won't go to anyone else, and truthfully I trust the old caregiver and I'd rather have no free time then to be out somewhere worrying about my kids. She is trustworthy and the kids love her but she isn't available that often. She charges $10 an hour and I think that is reasonable. Hope this helps...

I do not have any kids so I have never hired a babysitter - but i have BEEN HIRED as one =) I do belive that u will feel weather or not u can trust the person. Check around in your neighburhood, or maybe a friend has a daughter who needs extramoney. Maybe u can just try for a few hours first, or maybe invite her and see how she interacts with the kids. What you pay them, well that depends on time, age and what you feel that it´s worht. It doesn´t have to be alot =)

My husband and I started when my children were little. We met a lady with a 14 year old who babysat. She had taken classes at the local community center for babysitting and CPR. I used others too but I actually used here until she was about 28. My children loved her because she did fun things with them. My husband and I even went on vacation for a week about 10 years ago and she and her boyfriend (hubby now) watched my kids. They saw them off to school and was here when they got home. We started out with her just hanging around with us as a family first. Just for a half hour or so. Then she did one hour spots. Then more. We always paid extra good. She never went home with less than a 20. That is probably why she sat for us for so long. And no one ever topped her even with my kids. Anyway, there are good girls or boys out there. If you know the family it helps. If your local hospital does babysitting and CPR they usually have lists of kids to recommend. You really need time away. Best of luck.

me too.. it's so hard for me to find a babysitter.. hope this site will be helping me to find someone who's taking good care of my son... and who's someone that i could trust for.

I have 2 children under age 7 and I have never hired a babysitter and except for family, I've never had anyoen else watch my kids. In a way, I would like to but I know that babysitters are very expensive in my area and I'd just rather not pay it right now. We have alone, grown up time when the kids are in bed. If you are going to hire a babysitter, I'd ask friends for referrals and then interview each candidate pretty intenseley. You can find out if they've ever cared for chlidren and what they might do in emergency situations. You can find out if they have ever taken a babysitting class. The red cross offers such a class.

never hire a babysitter..... you can ask from your relatives but not a babysitter plzzzzzzzz....

I would recommend a teenager or even a cash strapped college student with some references or a child of one of your friends. I would try them out for an hour or two at first and video taping them is not sneaky nor is it a bad idea. You really have to get to know who they are over time but usually if it is the teenage daughter of a friend you will know a little about them, if it is a college student again you will know a little about them. College students are a little more reponsible because they are older and because they respect money a little more than a teen with no real expenses. $2 to $3 dollars an hour per child is reasonable and fair.Church youth pastors are also good people to ask for references for a teen baby sitter. The best advice that I can give is that you go with your gut feeling for a person. And if you have any doubts or concerns about a person after they have sat with your kids sit your children down and talk to them. They are at least one or two of them at an age where they can talk and they know whether or not a person is any good or not. Good luck! Happy New Year! Get out there and have some adult conversation before you end up going mad!

I don't like having strangers around the house alone! Even if they are recommend by someone we know!

I have four children and its hard for us to find a babysitter also. Their aunt usually watches them or my mom sometimes. If you have to go through a stranger really check out their background and checking tio see if they took a babysitting course would be good also.

no i ve not hired... but you can ask about that in orphanages

I'm the total opposite. I'm the babysitter, lol. Only people I will ever trust with my kids are there grandmother's and aunts. My husband I have driven one night an hour and a half to drop my daughter off my mom's just so we could drive an hour and a half back to go to a club. 67 isn't old. Your as young as you feel. My grandmother babysat til she was close to 80, and did a good job according to my sister. Kids at your age are easy to watch. Tv, mostly cartoons, snacks, juice boxes, boom fun night. Then board games or video which ever they like. I always babysat for a low fee, I was like why make someone pay when there kids are coming over and will end up playing with my 2. That's like charging someone to bring over a playdate, lol. Look around your neighborhood for couples with kids. See who they get to babysit or become friends. Then one weekend, ask the mom if she would be willing to babysit for you and then turn around and offer to babysit for her. Hard to find someone outside your own home to trust with your kids. So many perverts. People that really don't need to be around children. I mean if a child is crying, why can't you find out what's wrong before beating the poor creature. I mean if you started crying, would you want someone walking up to you and start beating and shaking you. Til you find a good sitter, plan things after the kids are sleeping. Candlelight dinners, a movie by candle light, etc.

i know how you feel.. thinking about having your own life when you already have kids is really a hard one. sometimes it makes me feel guilty when my husband and i go out; my 4-year old daughter left at home (luckily, its always my mom or my in-laws taking care of her). i think you can still have your mom look after the kids sometimes. she maybe old but having an authority over the kids will enable her to make your kids behave while you're out. engage them into activities (which requires less supervision) that will make them busy for hours. you'll see that they won't even realize you're not around. before going out, talk to your kids about proper behavior: the do's and don'ts while you're out. tell them that good boys/girls will be amply rewarded upon your return. and of course, don't forget to bring them something (like food, toys, etc) when you come back. they'll surely look forward to your next date!!