Believe it or not, my son was about 10 months old before I utilized the services of a babysitter. We were going to a concert in a city several hours from where we lived, so I did most of the legwork by phone. In hindsight, I wish I'd left him with a relative back home, but I didn't want to be away from him for the whole weekend, being the sappy mom that I am. So we opted for someone close to the concert venue.

All seemed well when I went to the babysitter's home, a woman my age with several kids of her own. And then... after the concert we picked him up only to find him still awake and eating -- get ready for this -- M&Ms. With peanuts! I thought I was going to have a heart attack right then and there.

Now, it's close to New Year's Eve, one of those times when even reluctant moms are ready to take the plunge into the world of sitters. Use Robin's advice here to ask the right questions and take into consideration the things you might take for granted. A caregiver of babies should know that those in their charge shouldn't be eating M&Ms, honey, hot dogs, carrot coints, popcorn and other unsafe stuff, but don't be afraid to ask those questions anyway. A competent caregiver will be proud to show that he or she holds that knowledge.