A night out is one of the most illusive things to a parent. New and old parents dream of the fabled evening, often unable to find a way to make it happen. Busy parents, I am talking to you. For the sake of your sanity and your marriage, get a night out! A break from life, reality and your duties as a parent is vital to maintain any sort of order and mental capacity.

But taking the night off and getting out of the house is easier said than done. There is a lot of prep that goes into a night out and that is even before the actual date part. Two things are generally holding parents back from a night away: money and a sitter.

Thankfully, we live in a day and age where there are plenty of free events so you can easily squeeze by with a cheap date. (Cheap dates can be very romantic.) So the real issue is finding a sitter.

A good babysitter is one of the best things a parent can have in his or her arsenal. A good babysitter can play with the kids, clean up after them and put them to bed, all within a few hours. A good babysitter is responsible, reliable and good natured. There are plenty of teenage kids that fit this bill, right? Unfortunately, finding a good babysitter is not always easy. Here are some tips on finding a good sitter.

Where to Find A Good Babysitter

The best kind of babysitters are the built in kind. If one or more of your children is old enough to watch the younger ones, you are set to go. This built in babysitting system can free up many nights for you with very little cost. You do not have to pay your own child to watch his or her own brothers, but you can sweeten the deal with a movie or a treat if the sitter does a good job.

The next place to find a sitter is family. Grandparents are wonderful babysitters and often are anxious to spend more time with their grandkids. Aunts, cousins, etc are another great place to look. If your kids already know the babysitter well, it will make their whole evening go much smoother.

If family is an option, ask around. The best babysitters are found by word of mouth. Be careful, though. Some parents are not willing to share their regular sitter. If that is the case, ask if their sitter has a friend who might work for you.

How to Know If the Sitter Is Good

You need more than a warm body to watch your children. If you are asking family to help, consider if the person interacts well with your children and likes kids in general. Before you hire a sitter you do not know,  sit down for an interview to see if the potential sitter would do well with your children. If not, get back on the hunt.