Tips For Keeping Your Children and Safe with the Babysitter

Sometimes every parent needs a night out. There's not a single thing wrong with that, but when you have kids, you have to find someone to watch them. For some parents, this can be quite frightening. Even with good references, you never know whether you are getting a really good babysitter or a kleptomaniac or a sadist. While there's no way to satisfy yourself completely, there are a few things you can do to make sure that your babysitter is doing her job well.

Conduct an Inventory of Your Own Possessions

One of the most common complaints against babysitters other than improper child care is that they are thieves. Sometimes it turns out that the babysitter is, in fact, stealing things from the family. Other times, it turns out that the family just forgot that they had gotten rid of something or that they had moved it or packed it away.

One of the ways to avoid this is to make sure that you update your home inventory. Most families don't do this. With so many different tasks to be dealt with at a time, it's easy to forget small details like where you put the Hungarian Easter eggs or that you gave them away last year. Rather than risk an unpleasant and unnecessary confrontation, just go through and routinely update your possessions with Asset Panda's inventory tracking app. The inventory tracking software is perfect for homes, and you can keep track of everything you own with a minimal time investment. If you move anything into storage, pack it away, or give it away, make sure to note this. This sort of consistency will help you know whether something is legitimately missing or just in a storage box in the attic. You don't have to worry about it taking too long either. Asset Panda's inventory tracking app will allow you to complete the task within hours.

Install Security Cameras

You should also consider installing security cameras. While this may feel like an extreme move, it is the only way to make sure that your kids really are safe. According to "New Trends in Babysitting," babysitters aren't surprised by this sort of thing anymore. It's become a necessity in some cases.

Remember that you need to disclose this to the babysitter, though, if you are filming. This is a requirement in most states. Otherwise, you could get in trouble for intrusion of privacy. Additionally, your babysitter is more likely to be careful in her care of your children if she knows that you could be watching her at any time.

Some of the modern cameras will even allow you to check in on your child with real time. This means that you can access the feed from any computer with an Internet connection. Just make sure you log out before you go so that no one else comes to the computer and starts watching your home.

Request Training

One of the least offensive ways that you can make sure that your babysitter is a good one is to request that the babysitter go through training and offer to help pay for it. You can find a number of courses from the YMCA and from Safe Sitter. These are not overly expensive courses, and they are extremely beneficial. Some of the pricier ones even come with certifications and background checks. You might even be able to work out a deal with your babysitter where you help her become certified and she gives you a reduced rate. This way you have the benefit of a certified babysitter who has been checked thoroughly.