by Kate Kelly
You and your husband haven't been alone together for six months. You're
not asking for much -- just dinner and a movie -- but your mother is busy
and your regular caregiver doesn't do weekends. And you're picky. You need
a sitter who can diaper your little one with finesse, handle an emergency
competently, and play games with your child instead of parking her in
front of the TV. How can you find such a person?
The Hunt Is On
The best way is the most obvious: Ask for recommendations from friends
and neighbors. If your friends don't have any names (or won't give them
up!), check with local high schools, colleges, nursing schools, and
senior-citizen centers. Read the bulletin boards (or place a posting
yourself) at places where parents tend to congregate, such as churches,
supermarkets, and the YMCA. "Tell everyone you know that you're looking,"
suggests Maija Johnson of Metuchen, New Jersey. Johnson was having no luck
finding a sitter for her 5-month-old. Finally, she mentioned to the nurse
in her pediatrician's office that she was desperate for help. The nurse
knew that her 15-year-old daughter's best friend was looking for work, and
a great babysitter was found.
How Young Is Too Young?
Safe Kids, a child advocacy organization in Washington, D. C., says a
babysitter should be at least 13 years old. The American Red Cross,
however, offers a babysitter training course, available nationwide, to
kids starting at the age of 11. "An eleven- or twelve-year-old can make a
great babysitter, especially if they have younger siblings," says Sherrita
McKenzie, a health trainer for the Red Cross, who trains the instructors
for the course. Ultimately, the age of the sitter depends on your own
comfort level and the age of your child. If you have a baby, you may want
an older teen, simply because younger kids may not have the strength or
coordination to hold, feed, and diaper a baby. And if you have more than
one child, you need a sitter who's at least 13. Younger helpers may be
ove
