A Babysitters Guide Pt 4: Tips for Parents

This last post it a little different in the series, but there are certain things that can make a babysitters job so much easier!

• Wifi Passwords// One of the awkwardest things about babysitting is deciding if I can ask for the wifi password. I only plan to use it after the kids are asleep but I am afraid the parent will think I am going to neglect their child or feel like I am intruding their privacy. If you trust your babysitter and are okay with giving them the wifi password then just give it to them! Don't put them through the awkwardness of asking! 
• Let them know the expectations// One of the hardest things while babysitting is remembering you forgot to ask when/how something should happen. Then you are left to wonder if the child is telling the truth, taking advantage of you, or has any idea what they are talking about. Making rules or expectations clear can save a lot of frustration for both the babysitter and the parent. This is especially important if you are switching babysitters. For example, if your first babysitter always washed all the dishes and swept the floors but you come home to find that your new babysitter hasn't then give them a chance. They might not realize what you expect. 
• Routines.// If your read your child two stories every night and sing them a song while they drink from their favorite sippy cup (or any other bedtime, dinner, nightly routines) make sure you tell your babysitter about these! It will make the night so much smoother! There is nothing worse than trying to put a kid to bed, but they won't go to sleep and are crying and you have no idea why. By letting your babysitter know what your child will expect your kids will be happier and will be a lot more excited the next time a babysitter comes instead of remembering the "scarring" experience they had with the last babysitter.
• The Drive// When you pick up/drop off your babysitter it is super important to make some small talk. Sometimes it is harder for a teenager to come up with topics to ask the parent about because they don't want to be intrusive or the questions just sound awkward and snoopy. For example, how was work sounds weird, but it's totally normal for adults to ask about school. Does that make sense? If you are stuck on topics some pretty no fail topics are: school (classes, homework load, favorite class, etc.), extracurricular activities, hobbies, what you have in common (when I say this I mean your connection. I usually know that people that hire me, so how you know them is a good topic. For example, if someone from church hires me we can talk about church activities.), upcoming events/holidays (what are your plans for Christmas/summer/thanksgiving? School breaks are a good one for this too. Holiday specific questions can draw it out a bit- are you dressing up for halloween? Do you have any favorite traditions you do each year for _____?), and lastly current things and observations always work too. (The weather, the sunset is pretty, etc.) I know some of these seem super awkward but a lot of the time you can get started on a topic and keep going with it for a while, and even if you think your observations about the weather are awfully boring, I'm sure your babysitter will appreciate your effort to prevent awkward silences. 

By doing these things your babysitter will feel so much more comfortable! The instructions and picking up of the babysitter make a huge difference in the way the night goes and these few tips will make the night better for you, your kids, and your babysitter! 

Babysitters Guide Pt 3: Babysitting for Clients

The third part of this series is about hired jobs for clients (vs. babysitting your siblings). You can see all of the posts here. 

• Ask where things go// There's nothing worse than not being able to find the plates for dinner or wipes to change a diaper. Or when you're trying to clean up the house but you cannot figure out where any of the toys go for the life of you. It stinks. So ask a few questions before they leave. You don't have to ask where every single toy goes but a few simple questions such as "do all the toys go in here?" "where is the broom?" or "do you mind showing me where the silverwear is?" can go a long way to make your night easier. 
• Find out where cleaning supplies are// This will super impress who you're babysitting for and make your job a lot easier so you aren't scrambling to find things. It will also help you if a sudden spill occurs! There's nothing that makes you feel worse than a stained couch! With kids messes are bound to happen, be prepared! 
• Get cell numbers and bedtimes!// Cell numbers is a no-brainer (but make sure you only call them if it is an emergency) and make sure you know when to put the kids to bed. You don't want older kids taking advantage of you or younger kids getting grumpy! Another important thing to note is the address in the rare case that there is an emergency that requires you to call 911. 
• Pay// Every family is different so let them pay what they think is best. If you end up having a huge problem with what they paid you can decline the job next time, but don't bring it up then because you never know how they are doing financially.
• Bring some new toys// Kids absolutely love new toys to play with. I usually gather about 3 small toys/board games from home and bring them. It gets the kids pumped up and it makes you babysitting more of a treat because they get to play things they don't usually get to play with. 
• Distraction is best// One of the hardest parts of babysitting for other families is when the parents leave. Children might be a little scared, especially if you don't know them too well. Distraction is your bff. This is a great time to pull out one of the games you brought, start a game of duck duck goose in the other room, or begin eating dinner while mom and dad slip out quietly. It works super well if the parents say their good byes before they actually leave and then slip out a few minutes later. 
• Ask mom about movies// In my post about Babysitting Siblings I talked about watching movies. While this can be fun when babysitting other kids too, make sure you ask the parent. They may have certain rules about tech time and movie standards that aren't the same in your family.

These are just a few basic guidelines! Is there anything I missed? 

A Babysitter's Guide Pt.2: Siblings

For some people a night babysitting your siblings can be torture. And while it can be exhausting at times, it is one of my favorite things to do. Me and my 3 younger siblings have made countless memories and fun times while being home alone (and all of them have been following the rules.:) All of the tips from part 1 most definitely apply, but there are a few things that are specific to just watching siblings.

• Everyone pitches in// This one is so important when you're home alone with your siblings. They can make huge messes and don't always want to respect you when you ask them to clean up a bit. Most of the time my siblings are willing to help out if I ask nicely and give everyone a job. If this is something you struggle with a lot then it might be helpful for your parents to assign everyone jobs before they leave. Another tactic that works almost 100% of the time is offering a treat. Ex. If everyone does their chore then we can watch a movie, have some popcorn, eat brownies, etc. Make sure you do it fairly! You don't want one sibling doing all the work or you delegate so much that you don't do anything. Make sure the chores are given fairly. For example I can't expect my 4 year old sister to load the dishwasher, but I can ask her to bring in all the cups and forks from the table, etc. Never use jobs to take advantage of your siblings- just encourage everyone to pitch in and you will have a lot more time for fun, plus you will be in a much better mood!
• Plan some fun things// This one is super important too. Sometimes a calm night might be best, but usually it will be a lot more fun if you plan something. Watching a movie, playing a game outside, having a picnic, or doing a craft are always big hits in our family.
• Think of who you are babysitting// This can be hard when you're not related to them, but it is super easy when you're babysitting family! There are few people you know better than your siblings, use it to your advantage! I know my younger sister loves to ride her bike, play outside, play uno before bed, have a small snacks, jump on the trampoline, pick what we play, and watch disney shows. By scheduling some of these things in  and really playing them up it can make her night. 
• Movies are fun// I'm not a huge supporter of TV all the time, but having a movie night + popcorn is a great way to spend a little time together and it feels like a huge treat (especially to younger siblings.)
• A little less supervision is okay sometimes// Especially when your siblings are older, they may want a little more space and time by their selves. Make sure they're safe, but let them have some space when they need it. 
• Fights// They are your siblings and you love them to death, but a fight is bound to happen at some point when you are home alone. Just try to keep your cool as a babysitter and leave the situation if appropriate. Your sibling has probably just had a rough day or is feeling tired so try being kind. The key is to stay calm and not get emotionally involved. I know it is extremely difficult but do your best! 
• Quality time// You are stuck at home alone so you may as well have a good time right? Especially when it is just me and 1 other sibling then it is a lot more laid back and fun. I try to let them pick the activity and just roll with it.I know I have said this several times, but just make them feel special! It makes such a difference and can really strengthen  your relationship with them! It makes my brother (11) super happy when I treat him like an adult, spend time with him, and let him stay up a little later (with permission from our parents of course:). 

I know that siblings can be a pain, but I also know that they can be your best friends. I love getting to spend time with my siblings and I love the close relationships it helps us form! Babysititng siblings can be the worst night of your week or the best- it's up to you!

I suggest choosing the best:)

A Babysitters Guide Pt 1

Kids are great.

I love their spunk, humor, and joy for life. One of my favorite ways to earn a bit of extra money is babysitting. Between my siblings' hectic schedules and paid jobs I've babysat quite a few times and I thought I would compile some of my best tips. There will be 4 parts to this series: 1) Babysitting in general 2)Babysitting Siblings 3) Babysitting for others 4)A babysitters advice to parents who hire (Don't worry! They are all typed and scheduled so you aren't left hanging:)

One thing to note is that you should think about who you are babysitting before you think about these tips. For example, when my brother who is almost 12 is home he doesn't always do the "special things" and I just make sure he is okay. I try not to boss him around, but the helping rule still applies:) Some kids like more space, while others want a lot of attention. It is super important to know your kids and think about their personality, age, etc.!

• Let the kids help// Now I'm not talking you sitting on the couch while they clean, but let them help you with simple tasks. Clean up their toys, take their plate to the sink, etc. What you can get help with will vary on the age of who you are watching, but don't save all the work for after the kids are in bed. 
• Set aside (at least) 30  minutes for bedtime prep// You think it will only take 20 minutes to put on their pjs and put them to bed, but things will always pop up. " I'm thirsty" "My Mom always does ____" I can't find any pjs" Or the baby decides to cry, something spills, the kid procrastinates, etc. 30 minutes is a good general rule, but it might take longer so plan accordingly. 
• It will take longer than you think//Tying into the previous point. Everything will take longer so plan for it to. No parent wants to come home at 10 and have all their kids who were supposed to be in bed at 7 just putting on pajamas.
• Make time a game. Sometimes time will sneak up on you and you realize that it's 15 minutes until bedtime and no one is even close to ready. Making it a competition or a game can really speed things up. Delegating different jobs to kids and then having them race to finish them can help too. This can stress some kids out or bring out sibling fights so be careful.
• Make a plan// Right after the parents leave I like to call a "meeting" where we go over what kids want to do (sometimes they have big plans...like playing tag and hide and go seek;), when we are eating, if they want to watch a movie before bed, etc. Then I make a mental schedule (leaving in extra time for things that come up) and if the kids are older I tell it to them so they aren't caught off guard when bedtime comes. This helps avoid whining, 5 more minute requests, and aww we didn't do this! 
• Make it special// Every time my mom leaves I say to my 4 year old sister "Guess what?!? I get to babysit you! <insert really big "this is so fun" smile> She still exclaims YES!! with a hug each time even though I have babysat her tons of times. Why? Because we have associated babysitting with a fun thing. If mom leaves and it is just me and her but we don't declare it official babysitting, she doesn't get excited. I try to make it a little "party", watching a movie with popcorn, playing a fun game, decorating cheap party hats with dollar store stickers, and giving kids undivided attention can really make it seem like a party. I think this would be my number 1 tip: Make it a party!
• Leave it cleaner than you found it// One thing that my mom always loved about sitters when we were younger was when they left the house super clean. Was the sink filled when she left? It made her night when the dishes had been moved to the dishwasher and the pots had been washed. ALWAYS, no matter what, clean up messes you and the kids made, but if you want to really impress leave it cleaner than it was before you got there.
• Lay down the law// For some reason kids really like to trick babysitters or pull out all kinds of excuses. Definitely don't be harsh, but do let kids know you expect them to listen to you. I have never had to deal with any terrible kids, but sometimes a kid decides to procrastinate picking up, going to bed etc. Usually a gentle reminder will help them get back on track, I have found that sometimes they genuinely get distracted and just need a reminder. Never be mean and scary, but don't let yourself be taken advantage of. 

These are just some basic tips that have helped babysitting go so much smoother for me! What are your best tips and tricks? Don't forget to check back for the next post in the series!