Babysitting for other people’s children in your own home can be a wonderful way to add income to the household. There are becoming licensed in home daycare options but that is not necessary if you wish to babysit just a few children in your home. As an experienced at-home babysitter for over 13 years, I have found many tips and tricks to make the babysitting experience a good one for both the families in need of my babysitting services and for my own family.
First and foremost, the most important thing for all involved is an important, even critical level of respect. Respect on both sides of the fence is of crucial importance to a successful babysitting relationship for all. Respect from the parents of the babysitting family to the babysitter’s family in that they realize the babysitting is a job with set rates and times for payment and set hours of availability. It is critical to set these parameters all around at the onset the babysitting agreement and to be sure the details are clearly understood. Also,respect from the babysitter in that the parents’ particular preferences in regards to their child be honored as much as is logically possible. Parents and babysitters are a team in the life of the child/children in question.
From the babysitter’s perspective, there are many things that can be done to make the entire day-to-day babysitting experience run smoothly. While it is not necessary to make a big deal out of setting up your home for babysitting, as long as you have basic child proofing secured, designating a particular play space such as a living room, basement, or good-sized bedroom will be helpful on many levels. This will basically keep toys in one area for ease of playing and clean up, not to mention keep the children largely in one area and therefore a bit easier to keep up with.
1)Setting a particular spot for the children’s belongings-for diaper bags, jackets, shoes, carried along toys and the like. When everyone knows where a certain child’s things go, those things are easily found when needed, saving lots of time and stress in busy moments.
2)Diaper or clothes changing stations can be easily set up near the area already chosen for babysitting children’s belongings, keeping frequently needed items such as diapers and wipes out and handy. Simply using the floor with a clean towel to change the child on is all that’s needed, the key being proximity to the needed items.
3)In the kitchen, particular foods and drinks the babysitting children may bring are easily grabbed if they’re grouped together in a certain place, whether that place be in the refrigerator or a box on the cabinet.
A calendar is always a good tool of organization for any family, this is so with babysitting as well. Use this to keep track of not only daily schedules, but appointments that change reguarly scheduled babysitting hours-whether on the part of the babysitter or the to-be-babysat children. Next to the calendar is a good place for a note about allergies, medications to be given and a list of parent/contact phone numbers, as well.
In daily preparation for babysitting, having a plan in mind of what foods are available to be served at meals and snacks will make getting ready for these times go smoother. Drinks can be prepared and refrigerated ahead of time, and food items can be sliced, ready for serving. In the kitchen, most daily preparation used for babysitting is merely an extention of daily life with children-your own and other people’s.
When it comes to discipline in babysitting or in raising any child, compassion and understanding of children both go a long way. Positive reinforcement is a powerful tool. With close supervision, the babysitter’s internvention can often thwart any undesirable behavior. In the event that punishment is needed, a time out chair in a hallway or other isolated spot will do the trick if used quickly and consistently.
Lastly but most importantly of all, a heart for children will make the babysitting experience a rich and fulfilling one all the way around. While providing a valuable service, the babysitter is also filling hearts-those of the children and her own family as well.
