Instead of just looking for a sparkling personality, there are five basic things every babysitter should know before you leave them with your precious children.

The first is leadership. Evaluate them as they interact with your children. Do they have fun with the kids–but stay in control? Do they try to find the best ways to settle arguments and encourage positive behavior?

The second skill is that of basic care. Can the babysitter cook meals, prepare baby formula and change diapers? Is she comfortable doing those daily tasks?

The next skill is basic first aid. Make sure that you inquire as to how she would handle everything from scrapes and bruises to life-threatening emergencies. You need to make sure she knows exactly where your first aid supplies are located and is comfortable using them.

She should also know how to guide the children in age appropriate safe play. She should be able to evaluate the toys and activities available in your home, yard, or playground to determine what is and what is not appropriate for each of your children based on age and skill level.

Finally, although not a necessity, every babysitter should be familiar with basic CPR skills. You may want to offer to pay for a course in basic first aid and CPR if you find a babysitter that you truly believe in but does not have these necessary skills yet.

If you want to find a babysitter that already has these skills, you can search for one online at a babysitter site like Sittercity.com. These sites allow you to know the kind of training your babysitter already has…so now all you have to do is find that sparkling personality!