You have just moved to a new country with your kids. All the basics are sorted: new job, new apartment, and you’ve been introduced to Swedish fika and discovered your new favourite hangouts. But one thing is missing – someone who can help watch your children when you can’t. When starting out in Sweden, it is only natural that you don’t have relatives and friends nearby to rely on for babysitting. You may find that as the daily life goes on, filled with school, förskola and after-school activities, sometimes the family schedule just doesn’t seem to work out. There’s also the possibility that you might neglect yourself in favour of your never-ending list of daily tasks. This is important to avoid. Even parents require the occasional me-time (“egentid”) or date night out with their significant other too!
The solution: finding a local babysitter or nanny. But how do you select the right one?
There are some key things you’d want to consider before heading out to search for your future babysitter. First, you want to figure out when you need help and how much; is it on a regular basis or only occasionally? Many of the Swedish babysitters will be students, available to work afternoons and weekends. University students are generally more flexible, as the Swedish universities allow them to set their own schedule to a certain extent. Usually, you will also be able to find a nanny who has worked with expat families before.
There are a lot of international students in Stockholm, so it might be possible for you to find a babysitter who speaks your native language. Swedish babysitters usually speak English without any problems, and sometimes an additional third language (Spanish, French and German are all common languages to study). One of the many benefits of being an expat kid is the opportunity to become fluent in a second language. Having a Swedish-speaking babysitter is obviously a valuable advantage for your children’s’ Swedish language skills (and maybe even for your own!). The same goes with culture and traditions. If you hire a Swedish babysitter, the both of you will be able to benefit from sharing each other’s cultural traditions, whether it’s holiday celebrations, different types of kids snacks, or children’s books and movies. Your Swedish babysitter will likely introduce your kids to “mellis” and will throw them a proper “fredagsmys” (Friday’s cosiness).
When you have found a potential sitter, always ask them for referrals from previous employers. Also, make sure to meet the babysitter in person, preferably with the kids, at least once before your first babysitting appointment. This way you will get to know the person better and see how they connect with your children. The babysitter should be someone that both you and your child feel comfortable with. At the end of the day, every parent can feel what is right for their children so trust your instincts! Your child deserves the best possible care and it’s essential that your child enjoys their time with their new babysitter.
