babysitter test

1. An informal "test" to determine the trustworthiness or integrity of a person by judging whether one would trust that person to take care of one's children. I don't trust him to take my car across the country; he certainly wouldn't pass the babysitter test. That doofus would never pass the babysitter test with me, but she seems to trust him, for some reason. You're only 12! No one under 16 passes the babysitter test with me, so you're only allowed to watch my kids if you do so with your older sister.

2. A test to determine if a household appliance is easy and intuitive to use, i.e., whether a babysitter would be able to use it with ease. The new smart television is radically advanced, but it also passes the babysitter test: anyone in the house can learn to use it in just a few minutes! What is up with this newfangled can opener? Oh, this would never pass the babysitter test. Our new microwave only looks fancy—it's actually very intuitive. It definitely passes the babysitter test.