[NJRach]

I agree with everyone who posted, the woman with her own child may overreact if your son bites her child. I've seen some parents act hysterical when their child was bitten. You'd think a rabid dog had gored their child.

Anyhow, I say to go for the older woman. I've had some bad luck with younger aged babysitters. One kept putting her children before mine, for example, if her kid took a toy from my kid, she yelled at mine to let hers have a turn. If my kid took the toy, she yelled at mine to give it back and that she needed to share.

Another younger sitter repeatedly cancelled, and a third seemed too young for me to relate to her. She always wanted to hustle us out the door in about 30 seconds, without any details of how the day was.

I hope I haven't offended anyone, especially if you are a sitter in your 20's, but that has been my experience.

The older sitters seem more settled. If they've been in the business for years, they are in it by choice, not necessity. I've also noticed the older sitters we had didn't get as wrapped up in the politics of the children. They seemed to be more businesslike and fair to them all.

Anyhow, that's my 2 cents. Good luck with your decision and give us an update as to how it's going.

Rachael