When most people think of hiring a babysitter they think of a kid with a ponytail watching movies with Johnny and Susie on Saturday night.

But I was a working mother for years and for me a babysitter was the person I depended on. I used the same sitter for every occasion, paid her well, and her excellent work gave me freedom I wouldn’t have had.

It wasn’t easy finding the right person but it helped that I decided on using background checks to find a babysitter. For a small fee, I went online and checked the backgrounds of everyone who applied for the job.

When I finally found the one I chose, it was a combination of her excellent job history, background, and great personality which convinced me.