Finding someone to watch your child is the hardest thing in the world! You want to feel comfortable about the person you leave your children with, but how much can you really learn about them in a half hour interview?

Asking the right questions is very important. Ask your friends if there are any questions they think you should include, or what specific problems they might have had with their babysitters so you can watch out for potential problems. Draft a list of points to touch on before your prospective nannies arrive for the interview. Check with your children too - they should have some input on what type of person cares for them in your absence.

When interview time comes, make sure you are all comfortable. You might want to introduce the children and see how they interact while you get everyone a drink. Then try to have a quite moment to discuss their qualifications to watch your children.

Good questions to lead off with include how long they have been a nanny, and what ages they have cared for before. Ask how they would handle different situations that could occur, and what they consider the top priority would be in case of an emergency.

Find out why their last job ended, and how they felt about the children they watched before. Ask how their relationship was with their own family. See if they will tell you their worst ever experience watching children, and how they resolved it.

Question them as to what activities they would be doing with your children, and ask if they would be able to supervise play dates or outings with other children. Make sure transportation will not be an issue, and ask for contact information for past employers and personal references.

After you have narrowed the field, pay to have background and criminal checks run on your top three choices. This costs a little, but is well worth your peace of mind. Make sure to get the full background check, as some only cover your state, and do not take into account incidents that occurred out of state.

After you have gone over the reports and called the references, it is time to decide upon your first pick and have them come back for a second interview. Salary expectations can be agreed on, and specific hours of work set. Find out how soon they can start, and arrange for access to the house and the car if applicable.

Hopefully you will find the perfect nanny or babysitter right away. Your kids are the most important part of your world, and choosing the right caretaker can help ensure that they are happy and safe when you are away, and keep you from carrying a constant load of worry!

My daughter was the sweetest angel. I was such a proud mom when I gave birth to her! It was a great pleasure to have a child! She was so loving, sweet and affectionate! We were always having a wonderful time together. We were playing, reading, learning and snuggling together. All the years from her birth, to childcare, to school age I was thinking that to be a mom is like being in the heaven with an angel.  I would never even think that one day it could change…

The transition from an adorable child to a teenager was like a thunderstorm in the middle of a sunny day! One day my little angel just decided that she grew up and could do everything by herself. She thought that she knows what is best to do after school, how to choose friends, and what TV program to watch, etc. She is still listening to me about school and health issues but has become totally independent about her private life decisions. My daughter’s adolescence was a shock to me in the beginning. Fortunately, I have read books about teens learned that I do not have to survive it. Instead, I have a tremendous opportunity to forge new connections between us. I realized that I couldn’t treat her as a little girl anymore. I have to give her an opportunity to grow, mature and become an independent woman. We are still spending our mother/daughter time together but in different ways.

I would suggest to moms who are having a hard time adjusting to their teens become better friend to with them and give them a chance to grow up. You should prepare yourself that it won’t be easy but it is worth it. Very often children in their adolescence act unpredictable and not respectful. I remember one morning we had a great breakfast and a very intimate conversation. I felt that we had a real connection. Two hours later she came to my room to borrow some of my clothes and said while looking at me” I think you gained a lot of weight and this lipstick makes you so old. By the way, can you drive me to my friend’s house?”  

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