by Helen Heard

Created on: February 08, 2008

To be a babysitter, first of all, you need to be a special kind of person. You need patience, a love of children, creativity, imagination, persistence, oh, and did I mention patience.

Alright so a parent has called, and asked you to baby-sit. Well this should be easy right, after all it's only a little kid. Ah, I can hear the other babysitters laughing now! Let's take this step by step.

#1 Someone asks you to baby-sit.
Make sure that you get all the information about the child ahead of time.
Ask a lot of questions. Who will you be watching? How old is the child? What will you be responsible for? What is their bedtime ritual? How much TV can the child watch? Can they have caffeine? If the child is under two, ask what types of food can they eat.
You get the picture, right, be as informed as possible.

#2 Arrive at their house.
You may already know the child, perhaps that is why you were asked to baby-sit, but remember, things are different when you are at their home. Remember to say hello to the to the child as well as the parents.
Some children are shy, and cling to their parents, especially if they know that their parents are leaving. Talk to the child, engage them in an activity, it might be easier for the parent to sneak away.
Some parents, however, are as nervous about leaving as their child is. Reassure them as well.
Before the parents walk out the door, make sure you have the emergency contact numbers, and the homes' address written down. The emergency responders will need an address if heaven forbid, there is an emergency.

#3 After the parents have left.
When their parents leave, some children may cry, calm them by holding them, and distracting them.
For older children, have them show you an activity that they like, or ask to see their room.
If they want to watch TV, Make sure the program is age appropriate.
Since you have already asked their parents, about the amount of time they are allotted, stick to your guns, and turn it off when the time is up.
Remember, that children will try to test you, just to see where the boundaries are.
If possible, take the child outside for a while, but make sure to keep an eye on them at all times.

Food Time.
Serve what the parent have set out, or find something the child likes. If the child is old enough, have them help you fix the meal, and clean up afterward. Make sure the food has cooled, before serving it to the child. If the child is in a highchair, use the seat belts.
Expect a mess, especially if the child is young.

Changing Time.
Check,

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