Babysitters - what would you do?

[HeathcliffMoorland]

I have two evening babysitters I could go with.

They are both lovely. They have the same hourly rate. They are both due to be available when we need them - weekly on a Saturday evening.

One is a childcare student. The other is a student nurse.

Given that I'm paying for the 'what if' and the student nurse admittedly has much more first-aid/medical training, I would be inclined to go with her.

However, she is due to qualify next year and will no longer be available.

On the other hand, the childcare student is going into this line of work and will be more likely to be available for longer, although no guarantees.

I'm thinking I should go with the student nurse. What would you all do, and why?

Posted in wrong section - ignore!

I think you are overthinking it.

Use both of them.

I would go with the childcarte student. Unless there is some specific reason why you think medical training and/or first aid would be necessary I don't see why a nurse is better qualified.

Surely someone with a specialist interest in children and childcare would be better placed to deal with the normal events that are likely to come up in babysitting?

So I would go for someone who is likely to be better equipped for the highly probably scenarios rather than the quite unlikely ones.

Unless of course there was just something about the nurse which made you prefer her personally

All other factors the same: I'd go with the childcare student. As when she's qualified she'll continue to be available more often, is more likely to be available for additional nights/days you might need in the future as well. She's more likely to be able to deal with an upset child/child who won't settle etc.

A student nurse might not be any good at interacting with children, she might not even particularly like them, but you pretty much know if someone's choosen to work in childcare, they are ok at relating to DCs.

However, more importantly, which do you get on better with? Have you seen either with your DCs? Which seemed to be more at ease with them?

omdb - They are both looking for regular work. I would happily use both if they were just wanting a bit of extra money.

5foot5 - The student nurse also plans to work in paeds. As the children will be asleep, the most likely everyday scenario is temperature/bug/fall out of bed, so for this reason I'd go for her.

The main advantage of childcare student is she's likely to be available for longer.

I know you posted in wrong section, but I would go for the childcare student who is more likely to have a longer relationship with your kids. But your instinct is important too. I am sure the childcare student also has first aid skills as part of her studies.

FPT - other than everything listed, both absolutely on par.

Could you trial them both for a bit and see which one you like better, once you actully kno them both?

Sometimes I have tohugh people are really nice, and on knowing them better, have not liked them so much, and vice versa.

Can you not alternate them, its babysitting not nannying or do I have that wrong?

And re the being available for longer - how do you know? No one knows whats going to happen next month let alone next year!

'And re the being available for longer - how do you know? No one knows whats going to happen next month let alone next year!'

Yes, that's what I'm thinking too... Maybe I will go with the student nurse.

I would alternate, but they both are looking for weekly work.