How to Choose the Right Babysitter

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT BABYSITTER

"Working mother" as a phrase is a commonly used concept in today's modern world. Being working parents brings upon a process in which someone other than the parents themselves need to provide the child's basic needs. Besides both parents being in the workforce, the rise in the number of single parent households also points out to the importance of childcare support in our lives.

Research on preferred childcare techniques reveals that during the 36-60 months period the parents favored sending their children to daycare, whereas during the first 0-36 months period the parents chose to have a babysitter in the house. In this respect, taking into account the importance of having the right babysitter, this article aims to offer information about the early social developments of infants and to guide parents on what aspects to pay attention to in choosing the right babysitter.

Infants are ready to communicate as soon as they are born. A newborn infant starts to make contact with the outside world through the basic brain functions that are inherent, which enable him to survive. For example, infants can follow movements with their eyes, search for human face, and cry in order to enunciate their needs. Scientific research stresses the importance of the first 3 years in infants' emotional and mental development and continues to elaborate on the effects of relational bonding with their caregiver. Early experiences of an infant are important in shaping the brain's related regions which have crucial role in thinking, feeling, self-regulation, and ability to form social relations.

In order for the infant to develop his inherent abilities into being a social entity, he needs to transfer his abilities into social relationships. The crucial factor here is the quality of the relationship between the infant and the caregiver; that the caregiver is respondent to the infant's needs, and is able to enjoy the time spent with the infant. If there is an enjoyable relationship between the caregiver and the infant, the infant is able to develop socially. This means that the infant feels accepted, acts in accordance with his surrounding, and is able to regulate his emotions in order to learn to soothe himself. In this respect, it is important for the caregiver to closely monitor the child's emotions and behaviors in order to understand and reciprocate the child's immediate needs. This is how children feel that they are being valued, cared for, and understood, and their self esteem nourishes.

In today's modern world, majority of the working mothers completes their maternal leave and goes back to the workforce approximately 6 months after giving birth. Keeping in mind that the 0-1 years of age is the period where the child is speechless and can not communicate his needs through