Breaking into the nanny world often starts with babysitting, and the sitters who stand out are the ones who understand exactly what parents are hoping to find. Whether you don’t have any childcare experience yet or you’re already working as a sitter, part-time camp counselor, or daycare worker and need guidance on your next steps, knowing what families value most will give you a real advantage.
Once you’ve built a foundation with the basics of babysitting, from training and certifications to finding gigs and setting up easy ways for parents to pay you, the next step is learning how to exceed a family’s expectations. Below, we share the top ten things parents are looking for in a babysitter.
These are the top ten suggestions for what parents want from a sitter, including…
– First Aid/CPR certification
– Meal prep experience
– Activity bins
– Communication with families
….and many other tips that will give you an advantage as you begin to offer your sitter services.
Pro Tip: Send a brief text message a few hours after your sitting gig ends to let the parents know that you appreciate their business and enjoyed your time with their kids. This is a surefire way to get hired by that family again!
If you aren’t currently a member of our community, we’d love to have you join. Nannies can join our community totally FREE and our Family/Parent memberships start at only $8.99/month!
#1: Get certified in First Aid/CPR training
This one is worth emphasizing. By taking these classes, you will demonstrate to parents how proactive you are, and it will help parents feel confident in the care you will be providing to their children.
#2: Be prompt in returning messages
Now, sitters may not think about this, but for parents who have a hard time reaching their babysitter when they’re working to set up the babysitting gig, they might worry that they will not be able to reach you while you are babysitting their children. This is a real concern parents share all of the time. So, just make sure that you’re prompt at returning those phone calls, text messages or emails.
#3: Be on time
Set a rule for yourself to show up five minutes before your scheduled shift, and if you’re running late, be proactive in communicating that to the family you’re babysitting for. This is a huge issue for parents so make sure you are always on time!
#4: Be familiar with basic meal prep
You will use this skill nearly every time you babysit. Ask your own family members for help with this if you’re unsure about basic meal prep. Many sitters teach themselves meal prep skills by watching online tutorials and then practicing at home!
#5: Wow the parents (and kids) by bringing along an activity bin
Parents are always so impressed when sitters show up with activity bins. This will bring parents additional peace of mind that you are a proactive, organized care provider who will go above and beyond with this babysitting job. When you do this, families are far more likely to invite you back to babysit for them again. An activity bin could include markers, coloring pages, activity pages that you print out, Playdoh, simple games, anything like that.
#6: Don’t forget to tidy up
Parents are always a little disappointed when a sitter leaves a pile of dishes in the sink that they’ve used during their shift. Sitters, parents don’t expect for you to clean the house for them while they’re gone, but they do expect for you to put dishes in the dishwasher and to tidy up any games or activities that were used during your time with their children. A good rule of thumb is to make sure to return the house to the condition you found it in at the beginning of your shift.
#7: Communicate with the parents
Send them some photos or video of the kids during your time with them, and let them know how things are going. Parents love this! Make sure that you also communicate to them at the end of the shift, any highlights, problems, times children went to bed, or any of those sorts of things that you think the parents will want to know.
#8: Follow up with the family
A few hours after your babysat their kids, send a follow up text message or email to the parents. You could say something like, “I had a wonderful time with your kids , I hope they had a great time too. I would love the opportunity to watch them in the future, please let me know when you need help again.”. This will demonstrate attention to detail, and maturity, and it will let the parents know that you’re working hard to earn their business again!
#9: Ask the parents if they’re willing to be a reference for you
Please don’t share their information without first getting the okay from the family. In lieu of asking the family if they would be willing to be a reference for you, you could ask them to provide a letter of recommendation for you that you can share with future families….this is the most effective and timely way to share positive reviews about you with other families.
#10: Run a background check on yourself!
Having a current, completed background check report that you can supply to parents upon request will help to provide an additional layer of assurance, as you are starting to build trust with that family. Now running a background check on yourself might seem complicated, but trust us, it’s a lot easier than you think.
Click here to learn more about the background check packages that Nanny Parent Connection offers. They are affordable, fast and super easy to navigate.
These ten tips are a simple, effective way to set yourself apart and turn one-time babysitting jobs into repeat business with families who trust you. Put them into practice, and you’ll be well on your way from babysitter to nanny.