I’m a babysitter and would like the opinions of parents please.
Would you leave your child with a babysitter they hadn’t met? For context, the child is under 5 and asleep when I arrive but may wake up. Personally I think it’s good for the child to have met me so if they wake up I’m not a stranger. Trying to settle an upset/anxious child when you don’t know them is difficult but I can only imagine how much harder it is for the young child waking up wanting your parents but being met by a unfamiliar adult. Having met them I’m more familiar with their likes/dislikes, what soothes them and (particularly when they’re younger) their speech so I can communicate with them effectively and ease some of their anxiety. Recently I’ve babysat for a new family and their youngest woke up within 20 minutes and (although he had been told I was coming) was very distressed to be met by a stranger when he woke up upset.
AIBU to make it a rule that for all families I have to have met the child before I babysit for the first time?
For context I’m a qualified early years and primary school teacher with 10+ years babysitting/nannying experience on top of my teaching so this hasn’t come from inexperience.