Thinking of hiring a sitter? Though we hate to admit it, there can be a dark side to letting a babysitter into your house. Remember how curious you were when you were a teen? No one wants to admit it, but how many homes have you gone to for a party, found yourself in the bathroom, and curiosity got the better of you? Here are ten suggestions to ease your worries and allow you to enjoy your evening.

Eliminate Temptation

1. Don't leave credit card bills, credit cards, or large amounts of cash laying around or in a drawer. The nice girl down the street might get bored enough to look through your mail or dive in your garbage or dresser drawers.

2. Don't let your sitter use your computer. Lock it up. Hide the passwords and change them often.

3. Put precious jewelry away.

4. Make your bedroom, master bathroom and medicine chest off limits.

5. Lock up your liquor, your cigarettes, your guns and your bowie knife collection. Bring the key with you. Don't leave it "hidden" at home.

6. If you don't want the neighbors to know you subscribe to off-color magazines or have unusual habits or hobbies, don't leave the evidence out where it can be found.

7. Nanny cams are a great idea. Tell your sitter you use them even if you don't have one.

8. Be very clear about what your sitter can do, can eat, when and where.

9. The first or second time a sitter is sitting for you, drop in or call unexpectedly. Test to see that they are where they said they were going to be.

10. Test Your Sitter. Are you sure your kids are in good hands? Here's a quick, one-stop test for your sitter. Find out if they have mastered the basics of child care safety and accident prevention! If they miss even one question, consider sending them to the class on Babysittingclass.com. Created by sitters, endorsed by parents, nurses and EMTs, this interactive class trains sitters to prevent emergencies through proper safety planning and to give loving care to their charges.

What's Related:
First Aid Kits: Stocking the Essentials
Baby-sitter Safety Tips
Home Alone: When and How?

About the Author:
Babysittingclass.com, is an online certification class for babysitters and is targeted primarily towards 11-to-17 year olds and to parents who use babysitters. The online classroom, which was started by Oceanside, CA resident Karen Willson, offers a complete course in babysitting, like one you'd find at a local community center. Her online class teaches babysitters to be proactive in solving problems and interactive with their charges.

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