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Finding a babysitter that melds well with your family dynamic and your children is no mean feat. Depending on the scope of their babysitting responsibility, they could be spending a lot of time with your kiddos, and in your family home.
If you’ve found the perfect match, you’re sure to want to retain them for as long as possible — especially if you have kids in different age ranges. While, for some, your relationship could be based on a purely transactional exchange of money for a service, the sitter and parent dynamic is innately more personal than that. So, it can benefit from a more personal touch.
Here are a few ways to foster and nurture a long-term relationship with your children’s sitter.
Pay Them Fairly
As with most roles, pay is a deciding factor on whether someone stays in their role for an extended period and whether they feel valued and respected. Ask friends and neighbors who also have sitters to see what they pay, and check out local parent groups online to ascertain whether your offerings are fair.
Build a Connection
Take the time to get to know your sitter. After all, they will spend a considerable amount of time with your kids, so forging a personal connection not only lets them know that you value them as a person, but it will also allow you to build trust — offering you peace of mind.
Celebrate Their Wins
Celebrate birthdays, holidays, and graduations as you would a family member. Send a card and a gift on special occasions such as these!
A luxury gift basket from a leading company is a fantastic present for a sitter. NutcrackerSweet.com is a great option, with easy-to-navigate shipping options across Canada and the US. NutcrackerSweet.com have a selection of high-end baskets that include an array of quality products, from teas to chocolate to candies. Having taken the time to get to know your sitter, you’ll be able to tailor your gift basket selection so that it’s something they’ll absolutely love.
Check In Frequently
Making dinner, setting the kids up with homework, getting ready for a PTA meeting … it’s all too easy to dash out the door, car keys in hand, with a quick ‘goodbye!’ as the sitter arrives. It’s absolutely fine to be busy; it’s the reason you have a sitter!
That said, it’s important that you take time once a month or bi-monthly to have a half-hour one-on-one chat with your sitter to see how they’re enjoying the role, if they’re having any difficulties and if there’s a way that the position could be made smoother for them.
Much like a manager in a business will take the time to check in with their team members, it’s essential to do this with your sitter, too. Doing so will make your sitter feel seen and appreciated.
Having a fantastic sitter with whom you and your kids enjoy spending time is a great achievement. It’s almost like finding a needle in a haystack. With these tips — paying fairly, creating a personal connection, celebrating special occasions, and taking the time to talk — you will retain your sitter for many years to come.
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