Adding a member to your family means more people and schedules to juggle (and of course, more people to love!)…It can be intimidating to new parents to figure out how to manage all that their growing family comes with. We all know that babysitters can be a great solution to help out busy parents, and even though most of us have been babysat at some point in our lives, when it comes to finding the right one for our own little ones, it can be so scary that we avoid the topic all together.
Today we have babysitter expert Candi Wingate of Care 4 Hire with us to quell some of those fears with simple advice on the benefits of having a babysitter. Sometimes our fears can get in the way of seeing the bright side for both us and the kids! We hope to welcome Candi back soon to teach us the best way to interview and retain the right babysitter for our family. Take it away Candi!
Parents-to-be have a lot on their minds as they prepare for the birth of their baby. As they consider nursery colors, research pediatricians, and shop for diapers and onesies, they should also add “finding the right babysitter” to the checklist.
A babysitter provides definite benefits over other childcare options. Listed below are a few of the most important advantages offered by a babysitter.
1. Hiring a babysitter is convenient, as a babysitter provides in-home care for the child.
o There are no worries about traffic delays to and from the daycare center, being waylaid by dialogue with staff or other parents at the daycare center, or the myriad other issues that may make a parent late to work due to dropping the child off at daycare.
o Since the parent does not need to allow time in the morning for taking the child to daycare, the parent can allow him-/herself additional sleep time (and who doesn’t need a little more sleep at night?). On an inclement weather day, the parent will not need to bundle baby up to go to daycare because the babysitter will come to the home to care for the child.
o As the child becomes old enough to gravitate to familiar items in his/her environment, a babysitter will enable the child to spend his/her day in his/her own home. S/He can play with his/her own toys, nap in his/her own bed, and have all the comforts of his/her own space.
o Additionally, having a babysitter in the home will allow the child a lesser exposure to the germs that are omnipresent in larger groups of children (these germs are commonly found in a daycare center). Fewer sick days for baby means less worry for the parent, less missed time from work since the parent won’t be taking baby to the doctor as often, reduced medical expenses, and a happier baby (and a happier parent as well).
2. Hiring a babysitter can relieve parents of some of the housework.
o It is not uncommon for a new mom to feel overwhelmed with the sheer size of her to-do lists, especially if she is trying to balance working outside the home with all that is involved with her role working inside the home. Consequently, a mom will often delegate to the babysitter a variety of household chores such as house cleaning, laundry, and meal preparation. Effectively delegating such tasks frees mom up to spend more quality time with baby when she gets home from work.
3. Hiring a babysitter can provide educational opportunities for the child as s/he ages.
o For example, if baby is a foreign adoptee, the parents may wish to hire a babysitter who is fluent in the language of the baby’s birth country. The babysitter may also teach the parents and other family members about the language and culture of the baby’s birth country so that the child can develop or maintain some familiarity with his/her country of origin and the family may learn and grow together from the experience.
Candi Wingate is an expert in the child care industry with over 20 years experience. She is the founder of Care4hire.com and Nannies 4 Hire, and is the author of 100 Tips for Nannies & Families and The Nanny Factor: A Parent’s Guide to Finding the Right Nanny for Your Family. If you have questions, Candi can be reached at mail@care4hire.com or 402-379-7811. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook.
Thanks for the great post. We are here to help with your needs, whether it be a babysitter, nanny, housekeeper, tutor, pet sitter, elderly companion or other misc. care at Nannies4hire.com and Care4hire.com.