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Oh, how the parental dilemmas continue. All you want is a quiet dinner, a quiet river walk stroll, a night out on the town, but all you hear is, "Daddy, where's my Dora blanket? Daddy, are we there yet?" Deep at the core of your soul, you just need some quiet time with your wife...but how are you going to get out of the house? You need to find a babysitter...and fast! Not to mention, there are so many things to consider when finding that perfect babysitter.

1. Ask around. Honestly, one of the best things to do is to ask for recommendations. "Oh, I heard Sara Johnson is wonderful. She's punctual, has a great demeanor with kids, and really follows orders from parents, like making sure the kids go to bed on time!" Correct me if I'm wrong, but you'll ask your buddy for a good restaurant recommendation or a good pizza joint, wouldn't it be wise to ask that same group of people if they know a babysitter that they trust?
   
   
2. Finding a college student. Knowing that college students are always looking to earn extra money, and the fact that by this point, they have hopefully done their fair share of babysitting, this provides you with a solid core of potential applicants to babysit your little ones. Finding a college student can be a good match, especially if you do your due diligence before selecting a candidate to interview.
   
   
3. The ever important interview. This holds the key to your future. This is so very important. You must ask some questions to prove that they are worthy, such as, "Explain to me how you would handle a situation if my son/daughter began to choke, do you know CPR? How much experience have you had in the past? Do you have references? How, you ask? Well, essentially, if you trust this person and actually CALL them, you can begin to enjoy a bit of time with your wife without having to worry so much.
   
   
4. Do a background check. The importance of background checks seem vital. Does this person have a clean record? Is there anything else you should now about? I have done background checkson every babysitter I have ever used. I have to believe that doing one is a simple decision, but also an extremely important one. You have a choice, you can either ask Christina Applegate, from her famed role from the movie, "Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead," or you could make a legitimate effort to do a background check to make sure your sitter is a good person.

If you have exhausted all references, are running out of time, or just have absolutely no idea where to turn, here are a couple links to begin searching for that perfect babysitter. They are Sittercity.com and 4sitters.com. Enjoy your searching and then go enjoy time with your wife.