Your Babysitter- What You Should Know and What You Should Ask

Parents have a tough job of finding good childcare and as the demands of life get greater, finding the right one, that will be good for the long term is a difficult task.  If you don't have this concern you are blessed. 
If your choice is to send your child to an in home care center (preschool or babysitter) you should know exactly what to expect, and what questions to ask. 
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
1. In most states it is illegal for your care giver, if unlicensed, to have more than 5 children of any age (there are exceptions ex. children related to the caregiver do not count as children being cared for). The regulations in each state vary, so be aware of the laws in your area.
2. EVERY activity that the children do, unless the parents send extra, is paid for with the money you pay for care, including meals and snacks.  Your caregiver is not getting rich and they try to keep rates competitive and affordable, but as you know keeping your kids busy and feeding them is costly. An in home caregiver usually makes 25-30% of what they charge as income.
3. They are you when you can't be there, you should trust them, and know their "parenting philosophy"
4. Your child, in most cases, is not the only child they care for and no one gets preference, especially their own.  Most in home caregivers actually spend less time with their own family than they do the children they care for even when they are in the same house at the same time. Your child needs to learn to conform to nap times and the schedule of the program they are in.  This means if breakfast is at 8 and your child shows up at 8:30 your provider may not have breakfast available for them. Of course with any change in routine there is a period of adjustment. Your caregiver needs you to help with this. 
5. When you bring your child sick because you can't miss work, you infect all the other children and the household of the caregiver, who most of the time doesn't have a back up, which will in turn cause you to be with out care for more than that day you would have missed.
6. Your care provider charges you when your children are not there for two reasons

• If you showed up to work and your boss closed the door and said, no pay day off today, that would hurt your bottom line and eventually put you looking for a new job, that is no different with your care provider.  They rely on the income from you bringing your children and to feed, educate and play with your children.
• you are holding the place for your child, with the restriction on numbers, childcare providers need to have every slot filled. so if you want your provider available to you for everyday, you have to expect to pay for everyday.

7. Your child is not just a paycheck, although you pay for a service, your provider is invested in your child and loves them.  They get excited for your child's milestones and sad with their disappointments.  They do what they do because they love it and for no other reason.
8. Your child will cry with separation from you and sometimes it is a real separation anxiety but children learn early how to manipulate their parents.  The best thing to do is drop them off, hug them and leave.  DO NOT give in to the situation.  If it continues for too long your caregiver will be sure to let you know, and you can work together to ease the situation and make the child more comfortable and will not have an issue with you taking your child somewhere else if it can't be fixed.
9. When you pick up your children, your caregiver may want to chat with you if time allows, but be respectful of the fact he/she is "off work" and has a family/home to care for now.

WHAT TO ASK

1. Do they have references, you want to know what other people think about the care their children are/did recive(ing)
2. What area's of the house/yard is for/not for care? As you are taking your children to a home where people live, there maybe places that aren't appropriate for your children to be for safety or privacy.
3. Do they have pets and what is the interaction between them and the children?  Pets in a care center can be a plus and a minus depending on your family and the pet.  Typically pets are a calming influence on the children and a source of fun.
4. what is the schedule?  you want to be aware of the times of activities so your child doesn't miss out on fun, and there is no confusion
5. Discipline - what is the procedures when Discipline is needed? 
6. Payment policies, schedules and methods are important to know up front, do they charge a late fee?
7. What does the child need to bring with them? Sometimes the children are required to bring their own nap blankets, sippycups bottles and even some require you to bring lunch for your children
8. who else will be in contact with your children?
9. will the ever be transported by the caregiver?
10. yearly calendar of closed days
11. what is allowed and what isn't as far as behavior, as well as items brought from home?

These are just a few things to consider when choosing a care giver from a mommy who has learned her lesson with choosing them and decided to become a caregiver.