Are you a busy parent with multiple children? How many times a day do you worry about your young ones? I joined a group locally with 500 plus mothers when I returned home last year in the hope to find great products for a bargain and I’ve noticed a common dilemma with mothers. 

All of us with children under the age of five need an honest, caring and good babysitter. As we all return to work, school and life after the Covid lockdowns, it’s good to have some normality. How hard is it to find a great babysitter?

It’s not easy as I even put out an advertisement and willing to pay $10,000 for a part timer. Getting help around the house simply is a need for many mothers like me. It’s how we run our businesses, have time for work, meetings and how we stay sane. Many couples both work full time as the cost of living keeps rising. Before, women were able to stay home and families could live comfortably on one salary. These days, not so much.

My mother went through numerous babysitters when we were young. It was a need. With nine children, working full time and running businesses, it was either that or mental breakdown. For me, my requirements are sensical. I don’t expect my babysitter to spend hours cleaning. That’s not her purpose.

If you are my babysitter, you are here for my child not as a cleaner. All I need is an honest, caring and intelligent woman. One who values privacy as we are far too busy to entertain a TikToker or social media celebrity who spends every three seconds taking photos or videos of our home and child. Must be mature and doesn’t need supervision. We hire babysitters for a reason and that does not include using wifi data and tick toking to the fridge.

I had the pleasure of interviewing a few sitters who are also teachers to many of the children because I wanted to get their perspective.

How did you get into babysitting?

• When one of my friends needed help.

• I love kids and that’s why I took it up for a while.

• I need money to help my family.

2. What are some of the challenges of babysitting?

• When kids do not have any routine.

• When parents work full time and the kids aren’t the priority which makes my job harder. When I suggest help to make things easier, they ignore me and brush it off.

• Some parents would only ask and show concern when the child has blisters and bad rashes because the babies are left in their nappies overnight, expecting me to change them only the next morning.

• No boundaries, the tv is on 24 hours. Some kids don’t sleep and some would just wander around and even go outside. As a babysitter, I sleep with them as they do not sleep with their parents.

3. How do you compare looking after your own children vs others?

• My kids know that I look after other kids and they’ve met some of the kids I work with. When I’m done with work, I focus on them entirely. I still continue my duties as a mother when I get home. I do the homework and laundry. I ask them about their day and we talk.

• These are the things that are not done by many parents that I work for. For instance, when the kids cry, they give them phones, turn on Nickelodeon or iPad and let the kids watch that.

• One couple had 5 kids and I had to look after the younger three full time. I was paid only $160 a week but I slept there from Monday to Saturday and was expected to also care for the children at night while the parents socialise.

4. If you were to have an ideal setting, what does that look like?

Well trained children, boundaries and routine. Parents to be involved with their children.

5. What salary do you expect as a babysitter?

At least $4-$5/hour and good treatment.

6. Why did you quit the other babysitting jobs?

Being able to say yes to all of these people was too much. Even if they had offered me more money I would not have stayed because I was having to stay up late until 1 am sometimes with a child that watched too much tv and I was not getting enough sleep.

If you are struggling to find another sitter, ask honest questions about your expectations of the women that are parents to your children when you are away. Are you paying them fairly and treating them well? Look at both sides of the coin : employer vs employee views. 

Honestly, I’ve heard many horror stories from both sides. Yes, one baby sitter stole many things on her second day, one only worked four days out of eight, one had way too many issues so I know the challenges faced by the hiring side. Enjoy another peaceful Sunday Samoa and remember the help doesn’t mean we own them. They too are human and must be treated fairly. Have an awesome week ahead!