You are a parent looking for someone to for after-school care and you have pre-selected several profiles. Of course, you don’t want to make a mistake! You must remember to address all the important points.
So what are the right questions to ask? How can you make a success of these first exchanges which are so important for the future? Here we tell you everything you need to know to succeed in your interview with the babysitter or nanny who will have the chance to look after your children regularly.
Point n°1: the availability of the babysitter to provide after-school care
The first important aspect to validate with the babysitter is her availability on the long term. Indeed, if you need extracurricular childcare until the summer, you certainly don’t want to have to look for a babysitter in 2 months! So that things are clear between you from the outset, let her/him know exactly when you will need her/him, including holidays if necessary. Don’t hesitate, for example, to discuss your babysitter’s schedule (especially if she is a student) and ask her to commit to the desired period. Once this has been done, your discussions will be completely serene and you will be able to get off to a good start!
Point n°2: the experience of the babysitter in terms of after-school care
Extracurricular childcare requires specific tasks and activities to be carried out, which require a minimum of experience. There’s nothing magic about this, but these points need to be addressed beforehand. For example, your babysitter will probably have to pick up your children from school, give them a snack and then look after them until you return. Ask her how she will react if one of them is tired or not hungry. Will she be able to suggest relaxing activities or entertain them if they get bored? Will she suggest baking a cake with them if you run out of biscuits at home? Will she have the reflex to ask them what they like to eat or what they like to read? All these questions seem trivial, but it is very useful to ask them when you first talk to the babysitter.
Point n°3: the babysitter’s centres of interest and her affinity with your child
Your babysitter has hobbies and passions, and, without intruding on your privacy, it is important to know a little more, in order to find out if she will be able to offer your children activities. In addition, she will do things more naturally with your children if she enjoys them too. Has your babysitter read all the Happy Potter? Banco, your son is crazy about it! Is your babysitter studying architecture? Great, your daughter only dreams about models and constructions! Your babysitter loves to cook? Your children are super greedy! Your babysitter practices dancing in a school? Top, your children have the rhythm in their skin 😉
Beyond her tastes, remember to ask the babysitter who will be in charge of after-school care how she usually takes care of the children she looks after. Ask her to be precise, to give examples according to the age of the children. It is really important to make sure she is involved and dynamic.
Point n°4: the babysitter’s skills required for after-school care
Running after-school care services requires a certain amount of know-how and good organisation.
Make sure that the babysitter knows how to:
- Take the time with your children, when they come back from school, so that they can rest. Snacks, reading, music… Children often need to rest on their way home from school, and the babysitter must quickly understand their routine in order to respect it and offer them quiet activities.
- Manage homework! If your children are over 5 years old, they will probably have to do their homework before you get home. For some children, this time of day is easy, and for others it is more complicated, especially after a sometimes tiring school day. So make sure your babysitter is both patient and caring and has the academic knowledge to help your child. If she’s a post-graduate student, she probably will be. At Marypop, you should know that we systematically check the diploma mentioned by the babysitter. This is a huge plus when it comes to choosing a babysitter who will be responsible for helping your child with his homework!
- Help with the evening toilet: you may wish to entrust your babysitter with your children’s evening shower. Nothing complicated? Not so sure! Motivate your children, then manage the orders of passage, avoid heckling… your babysitter should expect to manage the battlefield 😉
- Prepare dinner: if you want your babysitter to prepare or even make your children have dinner, this is of course possible. Make sure she knows how to cook a simple meal as well as the times set for the start of dinner.
- Speak the language of your choice to your children: would you like your babysitter to speak a foreign language or your mother tongue to your children? Don’t hesitate to converse with her in that language from your first meeting. You will immediately be reassured of her level and her ability to help your children progress in this language.
Point n°5: the babysitter’s sense of responsibility
A good babysitter is a responsible person, and this is not a question of age or personality. Make sure she has the right reflexes in case of problems or questions. Contacting you, asking neighbours for help, asking your child the right questions… all this should seem normal and natural to her. Don’t leave any doubt about these aspects, it is so important to feel confident.
Point 6: babysitter’s rates
It is important to agree on the rate you can ask your babysitter for. To calculate the total budget for your after-school care, do not hesitate to consult our article on the subject by clicking here: https://www.marypop.com/blog/fr/reduire-le-cout-de-mes-baby-sittings-caf-pajemploi-on-vous-dit-tout/.
You will also find the CAF website useful: https://www.caf.fr/allocataires
To sum up, if you wish to entrust your children to a qualified and responsible babysitter, whose profile has been checked by our teams, do not hesitate to go to our website https://www.marypop.com
Do you wish to be completely serene about the after-school care of your children? Trust Marypop and entrust your children to our super babysitters!