How do you know if your nanny is someone you can trust? Here are five things that every parent should do when hiring a nanny to make sure that they find or have a trustworthy in home babysitter.

1. Do your homework. Finding a direct referral from someone who you know and trust is one of the safest ways to select a trustworthy nanny. Remember, you are depending on a babysitter for the safety of your children. A recommendation from someone you trust is worth a lot.

2. Always insist on a background check and check all references. You need to be able to access the sitter’s capabilities, skills and personality.

3. Interview your Candidates. Don’t just choose the first babysitter who is available. Arrange to interview as many possible babysitters as you can and invite them to your house. This way you can get to know him or her a little bit. If you are happy with the sitter, introduce them to your kids and watch them interact.

4. Use a reputable babysitting service like Sittercity to locate your sitter. They help you weed through candidates, provide references and even run complete background checks for you.

5. Let them know that you are watching. Install a Camera. Certain new technology like SVAT’s Spy Eye Hidden Color Teddy Cam allows you to discretely keep an eye on your children. You can know that your children are safe and make sure your nanny is not being malicious. Some parents even hide several cameras and tell the nanny that they are there…so he or she is always giving the job 100%.

If you follow these suggestions, you should be able to rest easy that you have done all that you can do to find a trustworthy nanny for your kids.

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