How to Find the Perfect Babysitter

Reader’s Digest version of the events that led to the creation of this How-to Tuesday post:

1) Hubby and I need a babysitter to look after the kiddos once or twice a week.

2) I find a great candidate online and ask her to come over for an interview.

3) My friend Staci mentions that she needs a sitter as well.

4) Staci and I decide to ask the potential sitter if we can tag-team interview her. She agrees.

5) Sitter comes over for interview with six children and two rather loud women. She laughs nervously. A lot. But she cheerfully writes some future babysitting dates on her calendar.

7) Staci and I high-five each other for the tag-team interview success.

8) I get an email the next day. Sitter has found another job. In 12 hours.

9) We are back to square one.

It occurred to me later that the whole tag-team idea may have been a bit intimidating. So, I opted for another method: webcam interview. This couldn’t possibly be intimidating. The sitter is in the comfort of her own home, and we still have a chance to chat “face to face.” What could possibly go wrong?