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Babysitter - how do I find one and know they will be good?


Elfie34

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I have a wedding coming up and need to find a babysitter. No family or friends near by. We are in eastern suburbs in Melbourne. How do you find a trusted baby sitter???


I have never had someone babysit my

Kids and feel I need to start looking into this...

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Kiwi Bicycle

Are your kids young enough for daycare? If they are, could you approach the centre manager to see if staff can/ allowed to do mind minding after hours?

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How old are your kids? I ask around other parents e.g. At school, or if they're still at child care most centres have a babysitting policy where you can ask for one of the carers (great as your kids know them). I've also used sittr.com.au and started with a short session before booking in a longer one.

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When I say I ask other parents, I ask for recommended babysitters... Although I've also offered to look after my kids' friends as it's usually no bother.

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Depends how well you know them I guess. My friend's step son does the school run for a family they know (picks the son up, plays at the park, gets him a snack, does homework with him). . He's 19. And I would be perfectly happy to have him babysit my child when she's older

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You could still possibly ask at a local daycare centre if they have staff that do after hours.

Otherwise I’d be asking school friends.


Otherwise do each of your kids have a friend who you’d be comfortable with asking for them to have a play date/sleepover with?

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We have always found our baby sitters through word of mouth, usually a work colleague or school mum with older teens. It’s always worked well for us.

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ClaudiaCosette

Since my older kids have been at school, I've relied on their friends' parents when I've needed someone to mind them. It works out well because then their child has a friend to play with. If that's not an option, I'd be asking around for recommendations.

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Not sure if it's still around but back when I had little ones i used findababysitter.com.au. You can select your criteria eg first aid cert, WWCC etc

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I agree with others who’ve suggested asking your kids’ friends’ parents for babysitter recommendations. It might be that one of these parents would welcome a bit of extra cash and offer to do the babysitting themselves or they may offer to babysit for a reciprocal favour in future (assuming you can reciprocate). If not, they may still know a good babysitter.

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If your child was friends with mine and you asked me for a recommendation for a babysitter I’d offer to have them for a sleepover and I’d have both kids for you.

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Would anyone use a male babysitter? Dh has a friend who’s uni age son Babysits... I feel uncomfortable for some reason

 

I would and have used male babysitters. I prefer to meet them first to see how I felt about them and how they interacted with my kids. But I would like to do that anyway male or female.

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findababysitter is closing down in April and wont take new subscriptions!


i feel like in Australia we dont use babysitters as extensively as they do in America. But maybe thats because ive never done it!!!

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Word of mouth for sure, ask your kids friends or in a classroom chat group if you have them. Or else ask your kids friends if they can have a sleep over.! Then you get the morning to recover a little 👍👍👍

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There may be a local babysitting and childcare Facebook group in your area, there certainly is in mine. People looking for babysitters always get a few people putting their hand up.

Also, I think Australians do use babysitters, they just use other ways to find them. Surely it’s pretty normal for parents to sometimes go out at night without their kids?

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Ask the parents of your kids friends for recommendations. Are there any teens living in your neighbourhood? Once our next door neighbour’s DD was old enough she did all our babysitting. It’s that extra layer of security knowing their parents are close by if there is an emergency.

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findababysitter is closing down in April and wont take new subscriptions!


i feel like in Australia we dont use babysitters as extensively as they do in America. But maybe thats because ive never done it!!!

 

It's much more common for Americans to move interstate when they go to college, or for work, and not have family support nearby. Also they get their licence at 16 so teenagers have more independence.

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Seayork2002

There may be a local babysitting and childcare Facebook group in your area, there certainly is in mine. People looking for babysitters always get a few people putting their hand up.

Also, I think Australians do use babysitters, they just use other ways to find them. Surely it’s pretty normal for parents to sometimes go out at night without their kids?

 

Not every one has the option but ds was mainly at his grandparents, other relatives or friends places.


I do think we live fairly boring lives but we have never had an event where we needed to pay for a baby sitter


I have nothing against the Idea but it costs enough to go out I am not paying to have a babysitter on top of that no event would be worth that

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There may be a local babysitting and childcare Facebook group in your area, there certainly is in mine. People looking for babysitters always get a few people putting their hand up.

Also, I think Australians do use babysitters, they just use other ways to find them. Surely it’s pretty normal for parents to sometimes go out at night without their kids?

 

Not every one has the option but ds was mainly at his grandparents, other relatives or friends places.


I do think we live fairly boring lives but we have never had an event where we needed to pay for a baby sitter


I have nothing against the Idea but it costs enough to go out I am not paying to have a babysitter on top of that no event would be worth that

 

Cost is why I’ve never done it! Plus no family and I guess not enough friends!!

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