The weekend is finally here and you've called your babysitter and are looking forwards to a night out without the kids. Sure you have your cellphone with you in case the sitter needs to get in touch with you and you've written down some other information, but did you leave enough info for the person you have entrusted to care for your babies? Some things may be obvious to you but depending on the age of your sitter, these things may not be so obvious to them. And since most likely the person watching your children is on the younger side, the more information you give and have written down the better. Also, if there is any sort of emergency, you want to make sure your babysitter is fully equipped to answer any questions that may come her way because no matter how old you are, it's easy to forget information during a crisis. As you prepare for your sitter to arrive, here are some things to keep in mind...
Things to have written down in a place that is easy to find:
* Your address. Don't assume they know it. Even though your babysitter knows how to get to your house, and may know the name of the street, she may not remember the number of your house. Also, if there was an emergency, it's very easy to forget information like that.
*All current phone numbers: fire, police, doctor,family or friend's to call if you can't be reached or are far away, your cell phone numbers and home phone number.
*The children's information. Make sure your children's birthdays and ages are written down, as well as any known allergies they have. If there was a medical emergency with your child, one of the questions asked would be the age of the child.
*The number of where you will be. Just because you have a cellphone doesn't mean that your babysitter will be able to contact you. There are still many places with poor or no cell service. Leave the name and number of where you'll be so that the babysitter will be able to get through no matter what.
Tell the babysitter you are not expecting anyone and ask them not to open the door for anyone, even if it's the ConEd or UPS guy. Let them know it's ok to call you if there is a question about someone who has shown up at the house.
Things you should leave out (for day and/or night):
-Full bottles and enough of them. Or make sure to leave formula, empty bottles with tops and clear instructions out on the counter if it needs to be mixed.
-Snacks for the kids and sippy cups (if they are of that age).
-Diapers out or in an easily accessible place.
-Pajamas for each child, out on their beds so the babysitter knows whose is whose. If you are leaving your kids during the day, leave out at least 1 extra change of clothes, so the sitter doesn't have to bother with finding them.
-Some food for the babysitter. And have some designated food in the fridge/freezer that she can have as well. Be sure to explain what is ok to eat.
-Movies that your children like to watch and that they have permission to watch that day/night
-A list of t.v. channels your kids watch along with programs names. If possible, put the times of those programs too. If you have shows on the DVR, leave that list then.
When your babysitter arrives, if it's their first time, show them around the house, how to use the remotes and where everything they need is. If it's not the first time, you should still remind the sitter of some things, like to lock up after you leave and to call if there is any problem, etc.
Don't be afraid to ask the sitter to clean up after herself... and your child. Remind her to change your babies diaper before s/he sleeps...even if it is only a little bit dirty. It's helpful for younger babysitters to understand that you change a diaper often.
Once you leave, make sure you have fun and enjoy being out. Don't call every second. There is nothing wrong with calling once to see how things are going, but it is unnecessary to call over and over to 'check in'. Your babysitter knows to call if there is a problem, and you wouldn't have left such a precious package in their hands if you didn't think they could handle it, so go and enjoy yourself.
