2025-11-12
I'm a professional nanny: Here are 5 things I never do when hiring a babysitter
In Peacock’s new limited series “All Her Fault,” Sarah Snook plays a mom who arrives to pick up her kindergartener at his first playdate with a new friend ... except that her son isn’t there.As the thrilling — and frankly, triggering — series of events unfold, we learn that another mom, played by Dakota Fanning, made critical mistakes in vetting her nanny that may have led to the disappearance of her son’s friend.Mentally reviewing communications with your own child’s babysitters or nannies? Same here.To find out what parents should avoid doing in hiring a babysitter, we turned to an expert.Enter Nanny Miss Monique, a career nanny based out of Chicago. The married mother of an 8-year-old daughter, who has served in the childcare industry for more than 25 years, knows how to ensure a fun and safe night for your littles.During an April 2023 segment on the TODAY show, Nanny Miss Monique told Hoda Kotb her five best tips for hiring a babysitter, especially what not to do.Never assume a sitter knows your child’s routines and home environment“Parents and sitters should communicate,” Nanny Miss Monique told TODAY. “Mommy and Daddy know what’s best, so they should provide a schedule for meals, (including) specific rules about screen time or (other) preferred activities.”To prevent any guesswork, parents and sitters should stay in touch periodically throughout the evening, she said, “So nobody is stressing out.”Never forget to show your sitter how to use essential items“If you have a baby, maybe it’s the bottle warmer, the stroller or the noise machine,” said Nanny Miss Monique. “If you have an older child, maybe it’s details needed for any of their games or activities. Or it could be medication the sitter needs to give a child or (how to navigate) a tricky lock or a garage (door).”Teaching your sitter where emergency numbers are kept and how to access first-aid supplies shouldn’t go overlooked, either.“Think ahead of time (about) any contingencies and leave a clear and detailed list of any important details or contacts,”she said.Never overlook having an emergency plan in place“Have a clear list of contacts and details just in case there is an emergency have them written down and put them somewhere the nanny can see,” she explained.Before you leave, make sure you go over the details with them, she added.Never underpay a sitterBabysitter pay fluctuates depending on the state, city or even neighborhood. Additionally, the demands of the job (like the number of children or whether driving is involved) can affect wages.For example, according to Sittercity.com, in San Francisco, the hourly wage for nannies is $27.50 while it’s $25 for babysitters. Compare that to Columbia, South Carolina, where the hourly rate for nannies is $16 versus $15 for babysitters. If you don’t know, you can always look it up on a site like Indeed.com.“Adjust (the pay) based on your caregiver’s experience,” added Nanny Miss Monique.KansasMar 27Kansas child said ‘monster' was under their bed; babysitter finds man hiding thereJobsJan 17How much should teen babysitters charge? Mom calls the going rate ‘outrageous'Never ignore the sitter’s safetyParents are obviously concerned with their kids’ safety. But make sure you also consider the safety of your kids’ babysitter.“If your sitter drove to your house, be sure to check in with them later to make sure he or she got home,” said Nanny Miss Monique. “If the sitter walked to your house or used public transportation, be sure to drive them back home, or call them an Uber car.” This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:Starbucks’ Holiday Cups Are Here: See the DesignsHot List: Hosting Essentials, Expert-Approved Gifts and More — Plus an Exclusive DealThe Pope Shares His 4 Favorite Movies and They’re All Tear-Jerkers
