Raising children in a city as busy as New York can be tough. It’s hard to juggle work, kids, and time for yourself. Luckily, NYC has no shortage of babysitters and nannies.

Manhattan luxury apartment broker Platinum Properties is here to give you pointers on how to find the right person to take care of your child.

 

DO: Ask around.

  • While there are dozens of online babysitting services that will set you up with a child caretaker, asking your friends and family if they know anyone willing to babysit should always be your first course of action.
  • Talk to other parents at your child’s school or neighbors who have kids to see if they have any recommendations for you or offer the job to your teenage niece or nephew.
  • Your son or daughter will be much more comfortable spending time with someone they know, and you’ll rest easier knowing you’ve left them with someone you can trust.

 

DON’T: Post an ad on Craigslist.

  • Or any other online classifieds site, for that matter.
  • While the chances of you finding a babysitter are high, you’ll have to sort through tens or even hundreds of unqualified applicants first.
  • Save yourself the headache and avoid job posting sites that you know have an exponentially large audience.

 

DO: Utilize your local universities.

  • College students are always looking for an extra buck, and many already have prior babysitting experience.
  • Most universities, such as NYU and Columbia, even have online pages where companies and individuals can post internship, job, and volunteer opportunities.
  • These pages are only available to the students, so you won’t have to worry about an overload of bad applicants like you would by posting on Craigslist.

 

DON’T: Be afraid to interview multiple candidates.

  • Choosing a babysitter is an important process. This is the person your child will spend hours at a time with when you have work or other commitments, so it’s crucial that you find the right one.
  • Sit down and have a conversation with any potential candidate, asking them not only about their experience, but also what interests them. The pre-med student might be perfect for your daughter who always wants to play doctor, and the soccer player could keep your energetic son entertained all day.
  • Set up a supervised trial to see if the potential babysitter meshes well with your child. If someone doesn’t seem like the right fit, don’t be afraid to keep looking.

 

Summary

NYC can be a scary place for a kid, and you can’t always be there to guide them. Take your time finding the right person to let into your home to care for your child.

If you’re still searching for a family-friendly place to live in the Big Apple, contact one of our top agents at Platinum to assist you at (212) 825-0050.