Finding the right person to care for your child is one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make.
You may require a caregiver full-time or on an as-needed basis, particularly during the school holidays.
Look out for these attributes when deciding if someone is right for you and your family:
1. A love of children
According to Aisha Pandor, CEO of SweepSouth, which provides trusted, vetted domestic workers with childcare experience, one of the most important characteristics of good childcare is someone who genuinely loves children and enjoys spending time with them.
“Because the caregiver will be interacting with them for the majority of the day, she should be able to see the world through their eyes and understand how they relate to it.”
“When you first meet her, ask her about the children she’s previously cared for and how she kept them entertained. It’s also worth asking what she thinks are the best and worst parts of her job.”
2. Fun and energetic
If your children are young, a caregiver will need a lot of energy to keep up with them and spend hours playing games and engaging in activities that they enjoy. Childhood is all about fun, so the person needs to be prepared to organise, and take part in, fun activities.
A stimulating environment that allows children to thrive and grow is important, but your children will appreciate a caregiver who is willing to have fun with them on their level the most. Make sure you provide enough games and outline a few ideas and activities to keep your children’s attention for hours.
3. Trustworthy and reliable
The trustworthiness of a caregiver is an important factor in your hiring decision because you will be allowing her to care for your children and be alone with them in your home for extended periods of time.
References are a great source of information on a potential caregiver’s character and dependability, but if you can’t find any, or if you need childcare quickly, it makes sense to use an agency that has already screened a pool of applicants and has reliable carers available for you to choose from.
4. Lot of patience
“Caring for children can be stressful and challenging,” Aisha says.
“Tantrums, fighting over toys, and refusing to dress or eat certain foods can test anyone’s patience, so it’s critical that your child care provider demonstrates great patience and remains calm under pressure.”
If the caregiver is easily irritated or appears overwhelmed by everything that is thrown at her, she may not be the right fit for you. A childminder frequently juggles multiple tasks at once, so she must be able to maintain a level head.
Also see: What does healthy co-parenting look like
