I have wanted to blog about this for a long time, but I waited until none of this has happened recently so no family would think I'm writing about them. Hahaha. I am not talking about anyone in specific, and I totally love every family I babysit for! They are awesome!! I just thought this might be helpful for everybody. So, the truth comes out.
1. Please, please tell your babysitter if your child is sick BEFORE they babysit. There is nothing worse than showing up to a babysitting job and being told as you run out the door, "by the way, he hasn't gone to school for the past two days, but he should be fine." Or "she has been coughing a lot and she had strep, but she's on antibiotics so don't worry." Or worse, not being told at all, but finding out by having children cough on you all night. Personally, I don't really mind babysitting sick kids. I can handle runny noses and coughing. Even puke. But it is nice to have a heads up. I will always tell you in advance if I even have a little cold (and any babysitter should), so we really appreciate if you do the same for us. If I know I'm watching two kids with colds, I can take some Vitamin C or something beforehand and it will be fine!
2. "They can stay up until I get home." Classic. This can be fun, sometimes. If your kids are older and you're coming home an hour or two past their bedtime, that's fine and fun for everybody! But if your child is 4, and usually goes to bed at 8:30, and you aren't coming home until 11 or 12, please don't do that to your babysitter or your child. Or yourself. Babysitters don't mind putting your kids to bed. And let's face it, overtired children are not fun. The kid is either miserable or bouncing off the walls, the babysitter is trying to keep them calm and happy, and you have to come home from your fun date night and put them to bed.
3. Tell your babysitter what the kids can and cannot eat. Otherwise they will ask the babysitter for things they're not allowed to have, and she won't know what to do. For example, I don't see anything wrong with having 2 cups of juice, but some families prefer their child to have one glass of juice, then milk or water after that. You are the parent, and I want to follow your rules, so I need to know what they are :)
4. If someone is babysitting for the first time, and you have a dog, TELL THEM. That is all I have to say about that. Lol.
5. Tell your babysitter if your neighbors are nice. Sometimes I am babysitting, and we are playing outside, and a neighbor will come talk to me or the kids. That is pretty weird. I don't know if your neighbors are like family to your kids (like mine are) or if they are creepers. So just let us know.
Also, tell your babysitter if your kids are allowed to play with the neighbors' kids. Sometimes neighbor kids randomly show up because, in regular life when you are home, that's what they do.
6. Text or call me when you're on your way home. It's a little scary if you come home at 10:30 at night and just burst in the door. Or even if you knock. I just like to know you're coming.
7. When someone watches your kids, if it's okay for them to eat your food, tell them. Lol. It's awkward to not know if you're supposed to eat with the kids or not.
8. Tell us what your kids aren't allowed to watch on tv. Every family is different about this. Some people aren't allowed to watch Spongebob (I'm pretty sure I wasn't), and just because a child tells me they are doesn't really mean it's true. Same with a bunch of other shows. Basically, if a kid isn't allowed to do it, they will try it on the babysitter. This is what I have learned. Lol.
9. If your baby is going to freak out when you leave, it's best for you to say goodbye, leave, and not make a huge deal about it. If you do this, it won't take as long for them to stop crying. And if your child cries when you walk out the door, just keep going, don't come back in and try to calm them down. I will do that. They will learn that you always come back and eventually have no problem!
10. I think I covered everything. Basically, make sure your babysitter knows everything they will possibly need to know before they are alone with your kids. And it will be great for everybody!! :)
I hope this was helpful and slightly funny!
:)
1. Please, please tell your babysitter if your child is sick BEFORE they babysit. There is nothing worse than showing up to a babysitting job and being told as you run out the door, "by the way, he hasn't gone to school for the past two days, but he should be fine." Or "she has been coughing a lot and she had strep, but she's on antibiotics so don't worry." Or worse, not being told at all, but finding out by having children cough on you all night. Personally, I don't really mind babysitting sick kids. I can handle runny noses and coughing. Even puke. But it is nice to have a heads up. I will always tell you in advance if I even have a little cold (and any babysitter should), so we really appreciate if you do the same for us. If I know I'm watching two kids with colds, I can take some Vitamin C or something beforehand and it will be fine!
2. "They can stay up until I get home." Classic. This can be fun, sometimes. If your kids are older and you're coming home an hour or two past their bedtime, that's fine and fun for everybody! But if your child is 4, and usually goes to bed at 8:30, and you aren't coming home until 11 or 12, please don't do that to your babysitter or your child. Or yourself. Babysitters don't mind putting your kids to bed. And let's face it, overtired children are not fun. The kid is either miserable or bouncing off the walls, the babysitter is trying to keep them calm and happy, and you have to come home from your fun date night and put them to bed.
3. Tell your babysitter what the kids can and cannot eat. Otherwise they will ask the babysitter for things they're not allowed to have, and she won't know what to do. For example, I don't see anything wrong with having 2 cups of juice, but some families prefer their child to have one glass of juice, then milk or water after that. You are the parent, and I want to follow your rules, so I need to know what they are :)
4. If someone is babysitting for the first time, and you have a dog, TELL THEM. That is all I have to say about that. Lol.
5. Tell your babysitter if your neighbors are nice. Sometimes I am babysitting, and we are playing outside, and a neighbor will come talk to me or the kids. That is pretty weird. I don't know if your neighbors are like family to your kids (like mine are) or if they are creepers. So just let us know.
Also, tell your babysitter if your kids are allowed to play with the neighbors' kids. Sometimes neighbor kids randomly show up because, in regular life when you are home, that's what they do.
6. Text or call me when you're on your way home. It's a little scary if you come home at 10:30 at night and just burst in the door. Or even if you knock. I just like to know you're coming.
7. When someone watches your kids, if it's okay for them to eat your food, tell them. Lol. It's awkward to not know if you're supposed to eat with the kids or not.
8. Tell us what your kids aren't allowed to watch on tv. Every family is different about this. Some people aren't allowed to watch Spongebob (I'm pretty sure I wasn't), and just because a child tells me they are doesn't really mean it's true. Same with a bunch of other shows. Basically, if a kid isn't allowed to do it, they will try it on the babysitter. This is what I have learned. Lol.
9. If your baby is going to freak out when you leave, it's best for you to say goodbye, leave, and not make a huge deal about it. If you do this, it won't take as long for them to stop crying. And if your child cries when you walk out the door, just keep going, don't come back in and try to calm them down. I will do that. They will learn that you always come back and eventually have no problem!
10. I think I covered everything. Basically, make sure your babysitter knows everything they will possibly need to know before they are alone with your kids. And it will be great for everybody!! :)
I hope this was helpful and slightly funny!
:)
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