Parents, What do's and don't's are expected of a babysitter?

Question

I need to know, I'm starting babysitting, and I need to know what parents expect out of a babysitter. PLEASE LIST AS MANY THINGS AS YOU CAN!!!

Answer 1

Does your babysitter need specific training or skills to watch your child(ren)?

If your child has special needs that require very specific medical treatments, if your child is sick, or if you require first aid/CPR training or a babysitter to know how to give asthma treatments, for example, the rate may be more.

Get your CPR and first aid certification if you do not already have them. Check with your local American Red Cross office or hospital to see if there are continuing education classes in the two skills. Knowing basic first aid and CPR makes you considerably more marketable and assures parents you mean business and can handle an emergency.

First aid kits designed specifically for babysitters are available through most American Red Cross offices.

Put together a Babysitter's Magic Bag of little books, a hand-puppet or little stuffed animals, age appropriate craft items, puzzles or anything else you think you could use as a surprise or distraction.

Make sure to ask about any allergies, forbidden food, medicine schedule or any other health-related needs the kids have.

Don't cancel on them at the last minute and arrive 5-10 minutes early, like any other job/ contract.

** I like what Nire answered, how she handles the babysitter it's very organized.

Answer 2

I used to babysit a lot of families in high school, and I still babysit for one family after starting a good 7 years ago. :)  Here's what I picked up:

~Don't invite people over or ask if you can (especially boyfriends)

~They LOVE it if you can clean up the kitchen, load the dishwasher, or do something else that they may not expect.  Don't do things like laundry or putting things away because you don't want to mess anything up.  If you used kitchen things for your own food, definitely clean those up.

~Plan some games that take a while but that really engage the kids.  Things like regular toys or books only last a few minutes and aren't memorable.  If the kids have a blast they'll go on and on about you.

~On that note,  the BEST invention are TREASURE HUNTS!  :)  If the kid can read, write out around 10-15 clues on post-its (you can be direct like "toilet" if they're young, or make them tricky like "mmm, blueberries!" if there's a photo with blueberries in it in the living room.)  Stick then on the clues (make sure you do them in the correct order) and come with a prize that you hide at the end.  This also gives you time to make them dinner or just relax and watch and give hints.

~Other fun things are do-at-home science projects.  You can do a Google search for those (magic tricks or science experiements) and you can do fun things with kitchen soap, magnets, etc.  You can also make "ooblek", which makes a mess but is very easy to clean up.  Just bring a box of corn starch, pour it into a bowl, and add water in small amounts until it gets to a very specific consistency.  You'll know it when you see it.  It's hard to the touch but instantly turns to liquid when you pick it up.  Kids will play with it for hours!!!  (http://www.seed.slb.com/en/scictr/lab/co...

~Arrive on time and be friendly and share things about your life with the parents

~Ask if there are any foods that are off-limits to you for when you've put them to bed

~Make sure you're AWAKE when they come back home.  You can actually get a lot of studying/homework done between kids falling asleep and parents coming back

~Leave more time than you think you'll need for getting them ready for bed.  It always takes longer with a sitter and it's GREAT if they're all asleep when parents get home

~If the kids aren't behaving, don't be afraid to use a firm voice and say that you cannot hear them when they use a whiney voice, or that you'll be happy to talk when they're done crying.  Hug them if they're having a tantrum until they calm down.  If they're homesick, distraction is best!  And don't mention parents coming home; it'll just remind them that they're gone.  If they're misbehaving, send them to a time-out for a given number of minutes and say that you don't want to tell their parents that they misbehaved.

Answer 3

I expect to find my child alive and happy when I return.

Answer 4

i used to babysit so i know what parents generally expect, but all parents are different. things they expect are:

- that you arrive on time

- dont cancel on them at the last minute

- if the kids make a mess while playing or spill something, clean it up

- not to eat all the junkfood they have in the house

- not to have friends over

- to fix the kids a light snack

- make sure the kids go to bed on time

- and to make sure the kids have fun

Answer 5

donts, use the phone alot, make a mess, have friends over, dont smoke drink or any drugs(duh, lol)

Do's Clean up, maybe extra clean if you have the time, do something cool with the kids so they brag on how much fun you are!!

Answer 6

1. don't get online at their house, they seem to think you're not paying attention to the kids if you do even when the kids are asleep.

2. don't cuss...or any lewd behavior.

3. No friends or boyfriends over their house

4. Try not to fall asleep when the kids do, stay up and read they seem to think this is mature, or watch tv.

5. work out a payrate before you get there, or tell them you'll leave it up to them

6. Be nice and warm and open w/ kids. dont be shy or nervous or the parents will think you don't know what you're doing

7. Play with kids!!! They love it (parents and kids do)

Answer 7

Most of the time i hire a babysitter is at night when hubby and i want to go out. Here is what we allow and dont allow....

No drinking, no drugs, no friends over

No eating just any foods in the house (we do provide snacks the babysitter likes specifically for them to eat and drinks they specifically like and let them take home any that is left that they didnt eat)

We do allow phone/internet usage after the kids are all asleep, but we DO NOT allow any downloading on the computer and adult sites are blocked

.

We allow the babysitter to watch the tv when the kids are all asleep, but DO NOT allow any pay-per-view unless we ordered it ahead of time for the kids and babysitter to watch.

We also ask that any messes that are made are cleaned up before we get home as we expect the house to be as we left it.

Other than that we are pretty laid back about it all and if the sitter says that they will take whatever we decide to pay them then we usually pay them very very well. We had one sitter come back because she thought we messed up and meant to give her a $10 bill for the 3 hours she watched the 3 kids, but we gave her $100 because she was very good, followed the rules and the kids adored her.