Babysitter Prep

TIPical Mary Ellen : Episode TIP-1311 -- More Projects »
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Putting together a puzzle can be a fun activity for the sitter and the kids.
Field reporter and father Joe Lovitt shares some simple tips for preparing for a babysitter.

  • Put together a list of emergency phone numbers for the doctor, police, fire station, at least two neighbors, close relatives, your cellular line and your destination.

  • Make sure to leave the child's medical insurance card in case of an emergency.

  • Leave the feeding schedule for a baby. Show the babysitter how to prepare the bottle the way you do. Do not prepare one in advance because reheating in a microwave can cause hotspots and be dangerous.

  • Show the sitter where all the baby supplies are kept--diapers, wipes, creams, lotions and the like.

  • Bathe the baby in advance so the sitter has one less thing to do.
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Figure A
  • Make sure to leave a schedule of when each child should be in bed (figure A). It's best to compromise at bedtime. Younger kids can stay up a little later, while older kids can go to bed, or at least to their rooms, a little earlier. That way there are no squabbles about who gets to stay up later.

  • Plan activities for your children in advance to avoid potential conflicts. The child or you can make a chart of what happens at specific times, i.e. dinner, cleanup, games, movies, snacks, teeth brushing, storytime and bedtime. A child is more apt to mind the when he/she knows in advance what the evening will entail. Be sure to mention things you do not permit such as "no candy before bedtime."
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    Figure B
  • If the babysitter is serving dinner to the kids, be sure the meal is already made, even if it's something as simple as TV dinners or frozen pizza (figure B).

  • Plan a craft or activity in advance, preferably one without much cleanup. Have the sitter make popcorn with the kids. Make it even more fun by allowing kids to pick their own toppings such as salt, Parmesan, cinnamon and/or sugar or melted butter.
    • Also in this Episode
    TIPical Mary Ellen : Episode TIP-1311
    •Babysitter Prep
    •Blue-Ribbon Brownies
    •Removing Stains
    •Tip of the Day