Finding the best babysitter for your little one is such a pain in the ass, but once you find her, the second common dilemma is “What if my baby chooses Yaya instead of me?”

This scenario is very common to those working moms, and I share the same sentiments.

As a working mom, I only see my daughter during weekends. It’s hard, I miss her so much during the weekdays. But when I get home, I make sure that I have my entire weekend dedicated for her. As much as possible no take home works or freelance during weekends.

I keep constantly remind her yaya what I want for my baby and what should be done for the coming week.

Let me share some tips on how to overcome this situation:

  • Snail mail, cassette recorder and typewriter days are over! It’s already 2010, and distance is not really considered a big deal.  My husband and I always keep in touch with the help of modern technology. By this we can be virtually together for at least 30 minutes in a day. We conduct video chat where my daughter can see me, and I can see her as well.
  • Keep on doing some tricks where your baby can distinguish that the only person who can perform that action, or sing that song is you, her/his mommy. So that, your baby won’t forget you that easily.
  • Spend time with your baby whenever you can, much better if the Yaya is not around. This ensures that your baby will stay with you and will not look for her yaya.
  • Talk to your trusted babysitter and tell her what you want. For example: “Could you please talk to her in English?”, “Could you please allow us to have our moment during my free time?” etc.
  • If you’re living with other relatives in a compound or in an extended family set-up, allow your baby to familiarize and socialize with them. It would be great if the attention of your little one is not just focused on her/his yaya.
  • Emotional attachment is very important. I would love to hire somebody who will not just wipe her ass and clean her poop, but someone who can take good care of my baby as if she is her own. The downside of this is that as the relationship between your baby and the yaya gets stronger, you will soon realize that you basically hired a competitor for your baby’s affections..

Communication is the key to solve this dilemma. Talk to your babysitter, maximize your time for your little one, and ask help from your partner.

Funny things you can do — Post your photo on her/his crib, then record your voice and ask your babysitter to play it before meme time.