When I got the call from Mrs. Leary* saying that my friend Hannah had recommended me as a babysitter for her two little girls, I accepted without hesitation. Mrs. Leary asked if my mom could drive me over on Friday night at 5:45 so that she and Mr. Leary could go out to dinner and the theater.
The girls, 3 and 5, were adorable, and nothing about those first few minutes at the Learys' indicated that I was about to have one of the most disturbing experiences of my babysitting career. But after that evening, it occurred to me that with a little communication, some of the most difficult problems could be avoided. So I spoke to more than a dozen other teenage babysitters and came up with ten tips for parents who are contemplating hiring an adolescent to care for their kids.
Sarah Heyward, 16, has been babysitting since she was 12.
