Before You Go Can I Just Ask ...

When you arrive at a babysitting job, the house may be calm with the children already in bed or it may be chaos!

Even if the kids are in bed, Mom will probably be in a hurry to finish getting herself ready to go out. She may have rushed home from work, fed and bathed the kids and got them into bed – no easy feat if they’re hyped up over the event. When you walk in, she won’t have the time (or energy) to spend ages telling you every important detail about the kids.

If the house is in uproar, it’s even less likely that you will get any really helpful information. You will need to pitch in immediately and take the pressure off Mom so that she can be ready in time to get out of the door!

This is where initial groundwork really pays off. When you are initially contacted for a babysitting job, make sure you ask all the right questions that will make everyone’s life easier on the night – especially yours!

If you baby-sit regularly and work for different families, it’s a good idea to write out a check sheet of questions. Make lots of copies of the sheet so that you can quickly pull one out and fill it in while you have the parent on the phone, or while you’re making a visit prior to the job.

What do I need to know?

Routine is a godsend for babysitters. You need to know if the kids have an evening and bedtime routine…and if they don’t! If there is no usual routine, your job will be more difficult. It helps to know this ahead of time so that you can work out what you’re going to do to keep them amused and how you’re going to get them into bed.

Will you be expected to feed the children and if so, what? Will Mom leave food or do you need to prepare it?

It’s worth having a question about toileting habits on your question sheet. For example, the child may usually be taken to the toilet a couple of hours after bedtime. This may be something that parents do so routinely that they may forget to tell you. This simple act can save a wet bed and the ensuing upset. It’s worth knowing where clean nightwear and sheets are kept!

Is the child on any regular medications, such as an asthma inhaler? If so, where are they kept and are the parents happy for you to administer them if necessary. If they are, make sure they show you how to use any form of medication correctly and safely so that you are all happy for this to happen.

Has the child been sat for before and was it a happy experience? If not, make a couple of short visits to get to know the child and parents.

What are the child’s usual sleep patterns? Do they sleep well or are they prone to night terrors or sleepwalking?

Essentials!

Make sure you have a cell phone number. If both parents have a cell phone, get both numbers.

You must know where the parents will be for the evening. If they are likely to change venues, i.e. from the movies to a restaurant, make sure you have the land line phone numbers of both places. Ask the parents to ring and let you know once they have arrived at a different venue.

Ask approximately what time they expect to be back.

Write down the address and telephone number of the home that you are in and keep it by the phone. In the extremely unlikely event of having to call 911, you will have the necessary information to hand.

It’s often helpful to ask the parents for the phone number of a helpful neighbour, just in case a situation arises in which you need help or support. It’s highly unlikely that you’ll need to call them, but it’s useful and comforting to know that you have backup close by.

Avoid the bedtime battles - Super Babysitting makes it quick and easy to get babysitting advice and tips. To get your free babysitters handbook and first aid book visit the Super Babysitting web site right now!

Technorati tags ... babysitting, childcare, Parenting, Family, babycare, baby sitting


Technorati Profile