How to choose a baby sitter for your break

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 274, 14 February 1989, Page 14

How to choose a baby sitter for your break

Often parents forget they need a break away from their little ones and their home. A short break can refresh you and make your role as a mother or father more

enjoyable. Baby sitting is a job to be taken seriously. Both parents and baby sitter have definite obligations to ensure that the child's health, happiness and safety are protected. If you can wait until your child is old enough to grasp the principle of baby sitting before you go out for an evcning you'll have a long wait. The younger the baby is whcn you start going out the less chance there is of a tantrum later on. You will find that little ones who are regularly left with good sittcrs generally acccpt thcm as part of their lives. Finding a good sitter isn't always easy. Babics and little ones need a lot of loving, individual care from onc person most of the time. Whcn somcone clse carcs thcn that person should provide some focus and intcrest, a person who is warm, understanding and reliablc. If you are lucky relations are a good source of natural baby sittcrs and have the addcd advantage of an inbuilt intcrest in your child. Someone in the neighbourhood is also able to have more than just a sitting intcrest in the child. - Often the choicc is madc when there is little choice and that is bascd upon a passing acquaintancc. To find a rcliable baby sitter you have to mainly rely on your instincts: • Would you trust the sitter with your front door kcy....if

not...why not?

• Observe the sitter

with your child. A few minutes together will tell you a lot. You cannot cover

every possibility so find someone you like to care for your most precious possessions,

then go out and enjoy your self. Judith Brake

Waiouru

P.H

.N.