Finding a baby sitter

• 1). Contact acquaintances and local schools. Someone from your friend circle would surely know a baby sitter or someone who can refer you to one. Since Indians have familiarity with many people, finding a baby sitter is easy this way since you have word-of-mouth reliability. You can also talk to people to get first-hand information on how the baby sitter works and how good she is with children.
  
  
• 2). Ask your relatives and family for help. Since Indians live in large families or have relatives in many different cities, someone from the family can chip in with help in looking after your kids. They can baby sit your kids if you work out some arrangement on getting them to your home or dropping the kids at their house. This method can also be reliable since it is your own family or extended family who is taking care of the kids. Most relatives will also be glad to help and will enjoy company of your kids.
  
  
• 3). Search online if you do not know anyone in India. With the advent of the Internet and explosion of information available online, you are sure to find many listings of baby sitters in India offering their services for reasonable prices. Make sure you use reliable websites that have trustworthy information about baby-sitting resources. If the website looks spammy or has too many ads and pop-ups, then you have arrived at a misleading source.
  
  Websites such as craigslist for Indian cities, Sulekha forums, or a simple google search can give you many different options to find babysitters in India.
  
  
• 4). Interview the prospective candidates. If you find references from your acquaintances or if the prospective baby sitter has provided you with references, make sure you check them before the interview so that you have some background on the baby sitter. Arrange for an interpreter or translator if you do not know the local language. Ask neighbors for help in interpreting, or look for professional services and set up the appointment time.
  
  You can ask questions about their previous experience working as a baby sitter, if they have any experience, or how they would handle specific situations. Also, ask if they know cooking or making simple snacks that your kids like, depending on your needs.
  
  
• 5). Conduct necessary background checks. If you liked the prospective baby sitter, contact their previous employers to check their credibility. If the baby sitter is a first-timer, make sure you check their records, including criminal records from local police stations to ensure your safety.
  
  Check to see if they live close to your home and try to find out more about their family so that you can be sure there is no suspicious activity involved.