How old was your DC when you had a non-relative/ friend babysit?

[ourbabygirl]

O.k., so I think we're at the point when we should start looking for a baby-sitter to come every month or so, so we can have a date night and so I might get a bit of help/ relief this fall when DS is born. DD will be 2 this fall, and so far the only people we've had baby-sit her are my parents, my MIL & SIL, and my good friend & former co-worker who also has 2 little kids. My friend has her hands full now with 2 kids (one is a new baby), and our relatives are so far away that it's really not that easy/ practical for them to do it that often (and they really don't like giving up their weekend evenings). I guess I need to find someone nearby, but I really don't want a teenager doing it (someone younger than, say, 16 or so), and I really don't want to start searching just to find and trust a random person with my babies!

When and how did you first find a baby-sitter that was basically a stranger (not a family member or friend)? Any advice?

Thanks!

[♥ms.pacman♥]

great thread, i was wondering this too. i really want to get a sitter for DS, since we have no family at all here. we're relatively new to the area as well, so we don't have a huge network of neighbors/friends we can ask. i'm curious as to how/where everyone here found their sitters.

[TwinFoxes]

They were around 19 months or so. I think I posted here about my hellish trip to the DMV to get my new DL. I'm surprised the State of Virginia didn't offer to fly my screaming kids and me back to California.

I used care.com to find baby sitters. I posted an ad, and was very specific about what I wanted (for example: occasional help, had to be dog friendly, and experienced with more than one kid at a time). I could look at resumes and references. You can email back and forth through the site.

One thing I did, that helped make me comfortable, was I had the initial "getting to know you/interview" meeting. Then the first time I had them "watch" the kids I was also at home, pretending I was working on something. That way I could see how they interacted with the girls, the girls could get used to the sitter. I also could see their decision making ability, if any of them had been the type to constantly be asking me questions, it'd be a big no, I want someone with common sense.

Good luck, I was super stressed by it, but ended up with two people I really like and trust. Date nights are soooo awesome!

[okinawama]

we don't live near family, so we started pretty young. My little guy was a week or so shy of 5months when we started having our next door neighbor girl come over 1 or 2 a month. Many times it was after he went to bed, and I felt even more at ease knowing that her mom was next door should she need anything.

[bubbaray]

Last year, so DD#1 was 5 and DD#2 was 2.5

ETA (must read whole post): We found our babysitter through our church. She's the daughter of the Early Childhood Pastor and was a helper in DD#2's room. DD#2 took a real shine to her and that's how we started. The babysitter was 12, nearly 13, when we started with her. We stayed within about 5 minutes from the house at first (only for a quick dinner), now we have ventured about 15 minutes (by car) away and have been gone long enough to see a movie.

[boolady]

DD was about 1, maybe slightly younger. Although it was not a family member, it was one of her teachers from daycare, so it was someone I completely trusted, is in her early 30's, and was a nanny for many years before coming to DD's school. So, in many ways, she was far more qualified than my childless younger sisters....I jest, I jest (kind of).

[KrisM]

We're thinking about it now, and they're 2, 4 and 6 years. Since I do have friends and family available for most situations, I wanted to wait until they were 2, but then I'd end up with a newborn, too . so, this is the first time that I have a 2 year old and NOT a newborn. I don't have any leads on anyone though.

[clc053103]

started at 14 months with a neighborhood high schooler who has one brother, age 2. Knew from the mom that she does EVERYTHING for her brother- bathing, feeding, you name it. I was confident in her skills. I had her come over and see DS, then I put DS to bed before we left the house.

[kijip]

T was 7. T is newly 7. Obviously this is a new thing for us. F though is 18 months.

[citymama]

We have yet to do so - and my DD is FOUR!