The thought of finding a babysitter or nanny can be terrifying, especially for new parents. How can I be sure the sitter is experienced enough to care for my baby? How can I tell the bad from the good, and the good from the great?

Many of these answers lie in the sitter interview. Whether you ask every question below or simply use this list as a loose guideline, this checklist will help you get one step closer to finding the perfect sitter for your perfect new arrival.

General Questions
• Why do you like to babysit for babies?
• What do you look for in an employer/family?
• How do you get to your sitting jobs? Drive? Walk?
• What are you studying in school or what is your full-time job?

Background and Experience
• How many years have you been working with children?
• What child care roles have you had in the past? Teacher, nanny, coach?
• How many families have you provided care? How old were the children?
• Do you have experience in bathing babies?
• Do you know infant CPR? First aid?
• What do you know about SIDS prevention?
• Are you familiar with Shaken Baby Syndrome?
• Do you know how to prevent choking and what to do if it occurs? Do you know the Heimlich maneuver?
• Can you tell if a room is childproofed?

Behavioral Questions
• Tell me about a time where you faced a crisis on the job. How did you handle it?
• What would you do if a baby refuses to go to sleep?
• What do you think is the best way to handle constant crying?
• What is your proudest moment in babysitting and why?
• What kinds of discipline have you implemented in the past and why?

During the interview, remember that you want a sitter who can answer these questions both quickly and thoughtfully. If she stumbles on any of them, it could be a sign of experience. The best sitters also are enthusiastic, and will ask you several questions of their own.

Above all, listen to your instincts! If a sitter doesn’t seem to be a good fit, no amount of interview questions will change your mind – nor should they. There are plenty of fantastic sitters out there, and you WILL find someone you can trust with your little one.

4 Steps to Screening a Sitter Online
1. Read the sitter’s online feedback.
A reputable online sitter network will allow parents to rate and review sitters. Read their feedback to gain immediate insight about the sitter’s ability.
2. Interview the sitter in person.
Using these interview questions, dig a little deeper into the sitter’s experience and personality.
3. Check the sitter’s references.
Once you’ve heard what the sitter has to say about herself, call two to three refrences.
4. Run a background check on the sitter.
Double-check your sitter’s credibility with a background check, often available on her online profile.