Babysitting can be a great part-time job for teenagers and college students. However, babysitters should be well-informed about their job. There are many helpful babysitting tips that are great to know before your next babysitting job.
First of all, before the parents leave their children with you, make sure you find out how to get in touch with the parents while they are gone. Also, have the parents write down other emergency contact numbers - the pediatrician, poison control, and a close friend or relative. If there are any special instructions, it may be helpful to have these written down as well, including food allergies and medication information.
Toddler Bed Safety
Once your time alone with the children has started, try not to be nervous. Children can easily pick up on this, and they will be tenser as well. Try to have a good time with the children, while following the rules the parents have laid out for you.
An important part of any helpful babysitting tips is to stay safe. Do not answer the door to anyone you do not know. If you answer the phone, do not say that the parents are not there, simply say they are not available and ask to take a message. Potential burglars may take advantage of the fact you are home alone with the kids.
If you must give the kids either a meal or a bath, these are two key times to be cautious. During mealtime, make sure you follow any rules the parents give you. Food allergies are serious, and should not be toyed with. Also, do not give small children anything which may be a choking hazard.
During bath time, there are several helpful babysitting tips for you to follow. If you are bathing small babies, keep one hand on the child at all times! Bathe them in a small amount of water, and make sure it is neither too hot nor too cold. Try to have all necessary supplies within reach.
No matter what age of the child you are bathing, do not let them out of your sight - not even for one minute! Children can drown in a small amount of water. You may leave to answer the phone or the door, and come back to a tragic situation. Do not let this happen!
Try to follow the parent's set bedtime for the children, if there is one. Following the child's bedtime ritual will decrease their anxiety about going to bed without their parents nearby. Try to make bedtime relaxing and calming for them and you will have less trouble getting them to sleep.
If you follow these helpful babysitting tips, you are likely to become a favorite babysitter! The parents and the children will ask for you again and again!