Are you a babysitter, or wanting to become one? Well this is the perfect book to read! I know, it’s crazy, but I’m not a babysitter yet, but I've done tons and tons of research to find the most interesting but important things to put in here. Also, a big shout out to SafeSitter® because I got most of this information from them! Well, with that being said, let’s get started!

Behavior Tips

1. Be in control of yourself.

2. Be in control of the children.

3. Never use physical punishment such as             hitting, shaking, slapping, poking, or pinching.

4. Never hurt them with words.

    Provide comfort. Example: Sophia, 3, wakes up from a nightmare and screams for her parents. The Babysitter speaks to her in a soothing voice, offers her favorite doll, and tells her a story to help her fall asleep again.

    Distract. Example: Sara, 2, cries when her mother leaves. The Babysitter picks up Sara’s stuffed bear and sings while she makes the bear dance. Sara is entertained; she doesn’t notice that her mother left.

    Give Choices. Example: Denzel, 4, takes a ball from his brother. The Babysitter says, “You need to give the ball back to your brother. Do you want me to hand it to him or would you like to?”

    Make A Game. Example: Jacob, 3, doesn’t want to pick up his toys. The Babysitter says, “You pick up the toys on one side of the room, and I’ll pick up the toys on the other side and we’ll see who gets done first.”

        When you do this, then I’ll do this. Example: Ella, 6, doesn’t want to get ready for bed. The Babysitter says, “When you put on your pajamas, then I’ll read your favorite book.”

   And finally, take a break. Take A Break/Start Over. Example: Carlos, 3, is playing rough with a toy car. The Babysitter warns him to stop but he doesn’t. The Babysitter says, “Stop or I’ll put the car away.” He still doesn’t stop. The Babysitter tells Carlos he needs to take a break from playing with the car and puts the car out of his reach for three minutes. After three minutes, the Babysitter gives Carlos his car and says, “Okay, let’s start over.”

What Do These Solving Steps Do?

        Well, when you provide the child comfort you make sure that the child isn’t hungry, cold, tired, or in any other need of assistance. Offer the child a blanket, food, a favorite stuffed animal, a hug, or give the child soothing words. When the child is comfortable, then they feel more secure and/or more comfortable with the babysitter.

    Distracting a child from their parent(s) being gone is another useful strategy. You can play with them, dance and/or sing with them, craft with them, keep them happy, and you could try to ask them what their favorite activity is. If they hide away in the corner, then that means that they’re shy. Don’t force them out of their comfort zone because that would make them really uncomfortable.

    Giving the child a choice (While STILL insisting on what needs to be done!) gives them a slight tick in their brain like, “Hey! I need to do this!” DO NOT THREATEN ANYTHING! If you threaten them in any way, shape, or form then their good behavior will decrease and their bad behavior will increase. It will also mess up your reputation, which is one of the most important things while babysitting.     

    Making a game is probably one of my favorite strategies! It’s fun for both you and your child that you're currently babysitting. If the dishes need done, try timing the child and try and break a record of how fast they can wash and dry. Or, in the example, when the child’s room needs to be cleaned, the Babysitter will do half and the child will do half. Race to see who can go faster!

    When you do this then I’ll do this is another strategy that I recommend using. For example, when the child doesn’t want to do the dishes, promise something in return. You could promise, “if you do the dishes, then I’ll take you out for ice cream after you’re done. I promise.” Or you could promise, “If you do all of the dishes, I promise you we can do anything you want, and I’ll expand your bedtime another hour as long as you’re not tired.”

    And finally, Take a Break/Start Over isn’t really one of my favorites, but I figured I should put it up. Anyway, Take a Break/Start Over helps the child understand that they did something wrong. Take whatever they were using wrongly, and tell them why. That builds their sense of understanding. Take it away for at the most 2 minutes. I wouldn’t do anything more than that, because it could lower their self esteem.

Babysitting During Covid

Babysitting during Covid can be tough, or even scary for some people. Who knows if they have Covid, but they’re Asymptomatic? Well, here are some important tips/facts to help you babysit during these tough times.

1. Always make sure you are available, will be safe, are able, and have your parent’s permission before accepting a babysitting job.

2.  Contact the employer immediately if you are experiencing any symptoms of Covid-19 such as cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fever, chills, muscle pain, sore throat, or new loss of taste or smell.

3.   Both you and the children should wash your hands frequently, especially before meals and after active play. Always assist younger children with hand washing and make it fun by singing songs as you count to 20 seconds.

4. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth and always cover coughs and sneezes with either a tissue or the inside of your elbow. If you use a tissue, put it in the trash immediately after use and sanitize or wash hands immediately.

5. The employer may prefer you and the children wear a cloth face covering. Cloth face coverings should not be used on children under the age of 2 because of the danger of suffocation.

6. Follow the employer’s directions on cleaning and sanitizing surfaces and toys. Prevent poisoning by keeping soaps, hand sanitizers, and disinfectants out of the way of children.

7. Follow the employer’s rules on outside play to safely practice social distancing with other children in the neighborhood.

    It is important for both babysitters and parents to know that anyone that comes into your home could bring germs and be exposed to your family’s germs. Following these steps can help you minimize potential risk of infection and stay safe and healthy.