Monday, December 27, 2010

Babysitting Tales

I've been babysitting my tail off since I've been home for break.

It's been really fun to see all of the kids I don't get to see when I'm at school, plus it's good money and keeps me busy.

I've been babysitting these kids since well before the boy, Ryan, was born. I just love their family. They're so much fun and their mom and dad are super cool and easy to sit for.

Ryan is all boy. He likes to play with "his guys" and he has a ton of energy - can you tell? 


Maddi & Lucy are equally fun and awesome. Maddi has a tude' that's like no other, but I love it. Lucy just pretty much goes with the flow. 

When their mom was leaving they asked if I could do their hair ... I knew it was going to be a fun night right off the bat. 

We made a lip scrub out of honey and sugar that worked miraculously well & then I did their hair 

Maddi. Ryan. Lucy. 

I attempted to curl Maddi's hair with a straightener. It's tough & didn't exactly turn out stellar, but she loved it & that's all that matters. Ryan got in on the action too. Seriously, do they come any cuter? Lucy's hair is so short, it was kind of hard to do anything with it but we curled it and gave her a poof. They all loved their hair! The girls danced around saying, "I wish my hair looked like this every day!"

We finished the night up with a facial that was made of banana, yogurt and honey. It was as tasty as it was fun for them.


We had a lot of fun that night! They went to bed exhausted and happy - my favorite kind of kids :)

Babysitting is super fun for me and it's always good for parents to get out and about on their own every once in a while.
However, there are some things that make babysitting more enjoyable and easier for everyone.

Here are some tips: 

  • Have the babysitter come over and meet the kids before they babysit if they've never babysat before. It makes everyone feel more comfortable when the time arrives.
  • If the children are older, having new crafts or activities for them to do with the babysitter makes the kids really excited and if you're going to be gone for a while, it's a great way to keep the kids entertained.
  • Tell the babysitter how much "screen time" the kids can have. Especially if T.V. time is limited, the kids will try to sit in front of it the whole time and if the babysitter doesn't know the rules on T.V. or computer time, it's hard to limit it.
  • Leave notes. It's really hard for me when I start babysitting a new family and there are three kids and I get something like, "the baby needs a bottle at 6, the other kid is allergic to peanut butter so make sure he doesn't get it - he also only eats pizza, and the girl is allergic to milk and needs to eat fruit with her dinner." Please, write it down.
  • Be specific. Don't expect the babysitter to know how you do things - tell them exactly how you want things done, or be flexible.
  • Also, don't expect a babysitter who sat for you 6 months ago to know if the baby still needs a nap or not. Remind her of the logistics. I babysit for 10 or more families. It's hard for me to remember the kid's names, let alone what time their bed time is.
  • If you're worried, call. I never mind getting a call just to see how the kids are doing.
  • If you're going to be late, also call. It's so frustrating when someone says they'll be home at 10 and doesn't return until 12. Please, just let me know.
  • Pay well. Just as with anything else, you can only expect a babysitter who does a good job and makes themselves available to you if you pay well.
  • If your child is going to bed at 8 and you don't plan on returning until midnight, ask me to fold some clothes or wash the dishes. It helps me stay busy and makes your money go further. 
Happy Babysitter Hunting :)

1 comment:

Megan said...

Those kids are so cute! Sounds like you guys had lots of fun :) I've made the honey/sugar lip scrub before but I definitely want to try that facial now! And the tips you added at the end were great; I've been baby-sitting for 7 years and I have to say I agree with all of them.