So I am going back to work part-time and needed to find a sitter for my 13 month old son. The days that I plan to work vary so daycare wasn't an option since they need you to commit to certain days. I found a sitter that came recommended to me from someone I know and trust very well.

I met the lady last week and she is very nice. She watches kids out of her home and the kids are happy and you can tell they like her.

You want to know what is stressing me out so bad? My son is hard to put down for naps. I envision him being left in a dim room to cry himself to sleep. I did voice my concern with him napping but she didn't see it as a big deal. She says the one boy she watches now needs to be cuddled to sleep - yet he was crying in the back room when I got there (but he was later asleep 10 minutes later). I am also concerned how she manages to do naps when she is watching 5 kids at a time. I am going to call her back to talk to her about that.

Can anyone lend me some support? I think my son will do fine at her house, will love playing there, and will be safe. Just the thought of him not getting the attention he needs for a darn nap is what is causing me to lose sleep! I hate to see him in distress.

Honestly, as a woman deciding to go back to work this is a chance you take. Your child may be more stressed because your not there and nap times may be a struggle at the baby-sitters house.

I know everyone has stories, and mine is I had a younger sister who went to a babysitter for afternoons and she was left in a playpen all day because this woman had to care for several children and my sister would never go near a crib or playpen again in her life. She cried as a baby/toddler going to this home. It happens.......

Ask if she is registered. If she is, you can call (maybe even go online)the "Child Care Council." Try G**GL**G your state/ county with those words. The organization goes into "registered" caregivers facilities/ homes and does inspections. They are even "surprise" inspections where they check the number of children, their ages (they have laws how many infants/toddler/preschooler, before/after school kids they have in ratio to each other.) They check how the person is handeling food, changing diapers, where who is napping in what and where etc.They should have any calls made about that person....past parents who did have problems or saftey violations. If she is not registered ask why not and maybe find one that is????

You can also ask he for a list of refrences. Make sure they are people who had her and do have her now. You can ask the people "why" did they leave. You can also scope out her house.:D We have one house in our neighborhood who watches children. In the afternoon the bus would pull up and drop way too many kids off at her house. She would be inside with the younger ones and older kids would be running amuck. Within a 30-60 minutes their parents would pick them all up, but how could she watch everyone? Look for those situations. Usually when you check out a place it is after the kids have gone off to school and haven't come back yet, maybe if you plan to visit during that crazy time you willl get how safe it is.... quiet and how she handles herself.

You know that your babe knows that you will stay with him and do all the extras to get him to sleep. A sitter will have a diferent relationship with him and probably come up with her own way how she puts him down for a nap. I bet he will except her way because she is "not the mama" and sleep for her.Kids are funny. Good luck with your decision. It's a hard one that only you can make:(:angel:

Well, I have been at this lady's house at 10 in the morning when she had all the kids there. The kids were happy and she was great with them. I asked her many questions and she was very nice. Her son is in first grade where I work part-time. The school where I work is a $12,000 a year private school. I wanted to find a parent at my school who babysits because I really like the parents and kids at my school.

She is not state certified but that doesn't bother me.

I talked to a lady I work with who had used this lady for 3 years. Her daughter "loves going to Ms. Jill's house..."

My work is very part-time. One or two days a week, and some weeks not at all. I will be working 2 blocks from the babysitter so that is also nice.

I think my son is at a good age to start playing with other children. He does not have separation anxiety and goes to just about anyone. I put him in the nursery at church and he doesn't even know I am gone. He loves to socialize and play - so much so, that he doesn't want to nap!

My only hope is that he will behave better for her than for me when it comes to nap time.