Hiring a babysitter often becomes essential at times, especially if you have to attend to an important task outside the house. However, many parents are not entirely comfortable with the idea of leaving their child in the hands of a complete stranger. It is important that the babysitter you hire should be capable enough of handling different possible situations in your absence.

Here are some tips you should keep in mind before hiring a babysitter:

• Avoid hiring babysitters younger than thirteen years of age. Young children typically require older babysitters, who tend to have more experience and maturity in handling infants.

• Hire babysitters who are knowledgeable about first aid and CPR.

• Always ask for and validate references. Check the experience of the babysitter. What age groups did the person work with? How much time?