What I Really Want to Ask My Babysitter

Finding a great babysitter is no easy task. Without family or friends nearby to help with childcare, you have to find a perfect stranger to trust with your children.

We’ve been extremely lucky with our past childcare providers. But we recently found ourselves needing a new regular sitter for our youngest daughter.

I posted an ad on a Facebook group that connects caregivers with parents and was inundated with responses.

I began sending out my interview questions but quickly became tired of the cookie cutter answers I received. I wanted to ask these potential sitters what I was really thinking. For example:

What I ask: What first sparked your interest in childcare?
What I mean: Do you even like kids? Because they can be really annoying.

What I ask: What types of activities do you like to do with kids?
What I mean: How much TV do you plan to watch while I’m out of the house?

What I ask: Do you feel you provide a nurturing presence to children?
What I mean: Are you a sociopath? Please, just tell me if you are a sociopath.

What I ask: Are you CPR certified?
What I mean: Are you going to feed my child uncut grapes or wander off while she is eating?

What I ask: Do you have reliable transportation?
What I mean: How often are you going to bail on me because of “car trouble”?

What I ask: What is your requested rate?
What I mean: Please don’t bankrupt me. Your payment is tax-free.

I realize that asking my questions in an unfiltered way is extremely unprofessional and makes me seem a little crazy.

But when choosing someone to be responsible for your children’s safety and well-being, maybe being blunt is the best way to go.