So you found a babysitter that your kids love. Unfortunately, that’s only 30% of what matters. I’ve heard so many parents complain about the babysitter that is late, consistently sick, doesn’t show up, and has the Monday morning flu. Finding the right babysitter fit is more than just finding a person the kids like.
The kids don’t care that the babysitter is late, or that they don’t show up when they’re scheduled but, you do! It is you that looks bad at work, with friends waiting dinner on you, your spouse waiting for you to show up for a very important meeting with their boss, etc. It isn’t the kids that need to scramble to get coverage last minute, whose life is turned upside down or thrown into chaos. They don’t worry about losing their income because you can’t go to work.
When you have a babysitter in your family’s life you don’t have to be sooo grateful just to have one, and one that the kids like. Childcare is hard to find, and I get that but you don’t need to settle. If you have a babysitter that is calling in at least once a month or more with one excuse or another for not showing up then you need to go through the pain of finding another one. 
The pain of finding another babysitter can save you a lot of headaches in the long run. Think about it, if you find a babysitter that shows up when they’re supposed to and the kids also like you don’t have the constant worry, in the back of your mind, that the babysitter will be late, or call in sick.
Don’t be discouraged, ask for help from family and friends to help you find someone. Facebook has a way to find people too (my experience is you don’t get a lot of good candidates that way but some turn out good) you can place a help wanted ad on Facebook, Sittercity.com is also a good resource, and of course agencies are a great resource too even if you just use them short term. You aren’t alone in the struggle to find good babysitters.
When you do find a lead you need to followup with background checks, reference checks, etc. Just because someone comes recommended doesn’t mean that they’re safe. Also make sure that they have good communication skills, and that they let you know about problems that arise.
Life is too short to put up with a flaky babysitter.
