Have a baby sitter will travel.

• Author: Wingate, Candi
• Position: Life in America - Column

YOU ARE PLANNING a family vacation, but you and your spouse would like one romantic evening in your destination city. Wouldn't having your baby sitter nearby come in handy?

When planning to take your baby sitter on vacation with you, it is essential to establish shared expectations before departure. Be sure there is an understanding of the following:

Travel accommodations. Will the baby sitter have her own guest room or is the family renting a shared suite in which the baby sitter has her own bedroom? If there will be a shared suite, will the baby sitter have her own bathroom?

Privacy. If the baby sitter has her own guest room, privacy is assured. If, however, there will be a shared suite, plans will need to be made on how to accommodate the privacy needs of everyone involved. For instance, if the family and baby sitter are sharing a bathroom, there should be a schedule so there is not a morning shower queue that delays the rest of the day's activities. Similar to a shower schedule, how much time in the shared bathroom is each person allowed? If the baby sitter takes an hour and a half in the bathroom to shower, do her hair, and put on her make-up, is that acceptable? If not, what alternatives will you offer--a lighted make-up mirror for her own personal use, or something else?

Responsibilities. Will the baby sitter be with the children at all times, or will she be allowed personal time? Will she be the primary caregiver or a mother's helper? If she is granted personal time to visit sites of interest to her (and not the family), what will the designated times for those activities be? What boundaries will be in place during those times? Which expenses will be paid by the family and which are hers to bear? It is common for the family to pay for the baby sitter's transportation, lodging, and admission tickets to attractions that the family will visit. The family usually pays for the baby sitter's food, either in whole or up to a specified dollar limit per meal or snack. The baby sitter usually is responsible for purchasing her own souvenirs and admission tickets to attractions that she will visit apart from the family.

Compensation. The average is $150 per day, based on the baby sitter working eight hours each day. If you choose to pay her by the hour, there needs to be an understanding as to what constitutes hours worked. This can be tricky when the work involves vacation. To avoid conflict and confusion, be as clear as possible on the...