Even though my three kids are beyond the babysitter years, I clearly remember the feeling of leaving my child in the care of someone else. It can be scary for any parent to leave their young ones with someone they may barely know. But there are some things you can do to feel more at ease in any circumstance.

Little things can make a big difference.  First, you can walk through each room of your home and fix any safety hazards you see, even something innocuous like clutter. My children used to (and truthfully, still do) leave shoes, toys, anything you can imagine on the stairs posing a risk to the babysitter and to children. You can also try to have your kids bathed and fed when the babysitter arrives. Of course not every situation will allow that, but it’s nice to know you are reducing drowning and choking risks while leaving your children clean and well fed!

When the babysitter arrives, make sure to provide all the information he or she needs to handle an unexpected emergency.  I would post all emergency numbers on my refrigerator door and would give the sitter details about where I’m going and how long I’ll be gone. Now, we can suggest adding important contact numbers to the sitter’s cell phone as well! I’d also recommend going through a series of “what if” questions to see if you’ve forgotten to cover anything.

Finally, tell the babysitter that you expect him or her to be in the room with the children at all times while they are awake and to scan the bedroom for hazards before they go to sleep.  It only takes a minute for a child to fall, choke, or drown and being in the room may help the sitter be one step ahead of a potential injury. 

Do you need help finding a babysitter you can trust? Here are a few more tips from Safe Kids on how to select a babysitter and tips you can share with your sitter.

Selecting a trusted babysitter:

• Choose a babysitter recommended by a trusted source such as a relative or a close friend.
• Request references for the babysitter you are considering and talk with references before leaving your children with the babysitter.
• Make sure the babysitter is qualified to care for your children and capable of handling an emergency situation. Check to see if any local organizations offer training courses in CPR and First Aid for infants and children and the Heimlich maneuver for choking.

Safety tips for the babysitter:

• Ensure that your babysitter knows that no soft bedding, pillows, or stuffed animals be placed with the infant in the crib.
• Ask that food be cut into small pieces for young children and give a reminder not to give any hard, round foods such as grapes, candy, or peanuts to infants and toddlers.
• Remind your babysitter to latch the safety gates at the top and bottom of the stairs and to always use safety straps on high chairs, changing tables, and strollers.
• Ensure that your babysitter knows to stay within arm’s reach of all children when they are in or near water, including the bathtub, pool and spa, and toilet.

For more information on how to keep kids safe, visit www.safekids.org.