What to ask possible childcare provider??

Marce921

Up until now, my FIL has watched our boys, but he's currently having health issues and I don't feel safe with him watching them anymore (at least until he gets things back under control), so I'm looking to find new childcare. Our issue is that it will have to be a private person since both my DH and I work long hours AND weekends.

I've got one person to call right now, and am hoping to have her come to our home to watch them 1-3 days per week (some will only be half days, others will be a long day of 6am-8pm). I'm planning on offering her gas money as she would be driving to and from our house in addition to occasionally taking DS1 to school.

So besides money and qualifications, what are some good questions to ask? TIA!

Dazz~

1. Have you ever been to prison?

veloelle

Unless you hire a nanny, I think it will be very difficult to find someone that will have a flex schedule to accommodate weekends and 14 hour days. I know you didn't ask, but I don't know if I'd want one person on duty for that long, kwim? That could be some serious burn out.

Are you paying her a set wage each week, or on-call/as needed?

Ask for a resume, background, etc. If someone is watching your kids that much, you should pay for a background check.

We have the kids in PT daycare, it is extremely difficult to find.

Marce921

veloelle:

Unless you hire a nanny, I think it will be very difficult to find someone that will have a flex schedule to accommodate weekends and 14 hour days. I know you didn't ask, but I don't know if I'd want one person on duty for that long, kwim? That could be some serious burn out.

Are you paying her a set wage each week, or on-call/as needed?

Ask for a resume, background, etc. If someone is watching your kids that much, you should pay for a background check.

We have the kids in PT daycare, it is extremely difficult to find.

The woman I'm going to call is a teacher who cannot find a job, currently. She's married, but her husband travels a lot for his job and so she's alone a lot. I really don't think that weekends will be an issue with her from what my mom has said (my mom knows her and referred me to her). I plan on asking her what she wants as far as the money part goes and figuring it out from there (whether we'll do a set wage or per hour or per day) There will be some weeks that she'll literally only watch the kids for 4-5 hours on one day because I work 3 days a week and my DH works nights 4 days a week.

ETA: Oh, and we do have a bed she can stay overnight in if she'd prefer that to driving early in the morning.

Cbidt's girl

I'd ask about her generally philisophy of child care. Questions about "how would you handle x?" so you get a sense of her discipline stategy and problem solving (before she knows yours so you get a true sense.

sunandsand

We are interviewing a sitter this week too. Some things I thought of...

-Do we have to pay you for holidays? Your vacations/illness? Our son's vacations/illness?

-References!

-Where do you see yourself in a year? Are you willing to make that long of a comitment?