WASHINGTON — Most families are still packing away Halloween costumes and polishing off stashes of candy. Those who are more organized might be planning Thanksgiving menus and sketching out holiday gift lists — but making New Year’s Eve plans?
That just seems crazy.
But Linda Quinones, local franchise owner of Seeking Sitters, says it’s not. If you want to go out to ring in the New Year on Dec. 31, you need to book a babysitter now.
“It’s hands-down the most requested night for a sitter,” Quinones says. “They’re in high demand and they tend to go to the highest bidder.”
If you don’t have a regular babysitter, Quinones has recommendations on where to find one, and how to make sure a sitter is right for your family.
Finding and Screening a Babysitter
There are a few ways to go about finding a babysitter, whether you are looking for a more regular sitter or for a one-time occasion. Quinones says you can ask for referrals from friends, co-workers or parents on a local parenting forum; you can post a request on college job sites or on websites such as Care.com, Sitter City or Craigslist; or you can use a local childcare matching service.
However you go about it, Quinones says, the most important part of the process: interviewing the candidates. She recommends doing the interview in person, “because you can tell a lot from seeing a person.”
“Did they arrive on time? How did they conduct themselves?” Quinones says.
When interviewing a potential sitter, ask the candidate why they want to be a babysitter; ask them to describe the experiences they’ve had in the past; and have them discuss different scenarios they might have with your children (games they might play, routines for the evening, etc.).
She also recommends conducting a background check on any babysitter you’re considering, using a reputable screening company.
The Older, the Better
Quinones says age matters. She recommends getting a babysitter who is at least 18 years old, since they will likely have had more experience with children.
“For New Year’s Eve, especially since it’s going to be a late night, I would want somebody who’s a little bit older — at least 18 years of age, or even older than that,” Quinones says.
However, New Year’s Eve is one night when it might be more difficult to book an older sitter — yet another reason it’s best to start looking now.
“Because they’re of the age to go out and have fun themselves, then they may choose to do that instead, so finding an older sitter on New Year’s Eve can be even more challenging.”
The sooner you start looking, the better your chances are for scheduling your idea candidate, Quinones says.
The Price to Pay
Most parents know childcare is not cheap — especially in a metropolitan area such as D.C. These days, the going rate for a sitter ranges from $10 to $25 an hour, depending on the number of kids and the experience of the sitter.
For New Year’s Eve, Quinones says $23 an hour is a more realistic rate for the evening.
Introducing the Babysitter to the Kids
Is your sitter new to the family? Quinones says it’s always nice to do a meet-and-greet so the kids can get to know the sitter, especially if their first time together is going to be a night when parents are going to be out for a long period of time.
And Quinones recommends parents leave written, detailed instructions for the babysitter with information on meal times, bed times, allergies and routines to make everyone feel more comfortable.
WTOP’s Rachel Nania contributed to this report. Follow @WTOP and @WTOPliving on Twitter and on the WTOP Facebook page.
