Hey there! You’re listening to the Mighty Mommy with some quick and dirty tips for practical parenting. This week I’ll be talking to all of you babysitters out there. I’ve received several requests to do an episode about babysitting. Most recently Chelsea and Mallory wrote in to ask for some tips to help them do a better job as babysitters:
We were wondering if you could do an episode for babysitters from a parent’s view and from the view of once being a babysitter. Like, how you want your child taken care of, how to ask for a raise, how much you really want to know about how your child was, and more.
Well, Chelsea and Mallory, I may not be able to help you get a raise, but I’m happy to address this topic for you.
But first, advertising makes this podcast possible, and today's show is brought to you by kajeet – the pay-as-you-go cell phone service that’s right for kids AND right for parents. Affordable and totally customizable. No long-term contracts. See kajeet at your local Target or find out more at kajeet.com --–K-A-J-E-E-T dot com.
Whether you are babysitting for someone the first time, the fourth time or on a daily basis, please be sure to get instructions from the parent. Some parents are more lenient than they should be. I once babysat for a woman while she worked. She was actually hesitant to give me a phone number where she could be reached in an emergency. She really didn’t want to be bothered at work. If you run into a situation like this, please be careful. Parents should let you know where they will be, how to reach them, and when they will return. If the parents do not provide a document with this information, have them write everything down before they leave. If you are babysitting in your home, either take the information down on the phone before the assignment or have the parent fill it out when they drop the child off. It’s good to communicate what information you will need beforehand so the parent can be prepared. There are great information sheets you can print out on many different websites. I found one I like at The Parent Site dot Com. You can access the babysitter information sheet by clicking the link in this show’s transcript. These forms have all of the basic information you need to have on hand in case of emergency, but you may also want to ask about food allergies, allowable snacks, and sleep routines. These things will also depend on the time of day and length of your assignment.
When it comes to babysitting, the most important duty is to keep the children safe. If you are ever in a situation where you are uncertain or faced with a choice, choose the option that is the most protective of the children. If you are still in doubt or if any type of danger could result from your making the wrong choice, call the parent or other adult named as your emergency contact. If there is any type of medical emergency or immediate danger, call 911 before calling anyone else.
All parents are different. You need to talk to the people for whom you are babysitting and find out what their specific needs are. Ask for a tour of the rooms you will be visiting and be sure to find out the location of any first aid items. The more you know, the better equipped you will be and the safer you will feel about your time there. Parents want to feel that their children are safe. The more you can reassure them that you are a responsible individual, the better they will feel. As a parent I always try to give this type of information up front, but if I had a babysitter that didn’t seem interested in these important instructions, I would not feel safe leaving my children alone with this individual. Pay attention to the instructions you are given and repeat them back to the parent to let her know you have retained the information. It’s especially helpful if you take a notepad and write down any new information you may not immediately remember.
When parents arrive home, be honest about how the child behaved during your time there. I recommend that you give facts and not opinions unless the opinions are favorable. Do not say, “Little Billy was so horrible!” Even if Billy was horrible, his parents don’t want to hear it. You are much better off telling them, “Billy had a rough time. He bit his sister on the arm. He apologized and I asked him to take a two minute time-out per your instructions.” You may want to list all of the naughty things Billy did, but you can limit it to the major indiscretions such as hitting, biting, throwing, or anything destructive or dangerous. Use common sense to determine which items will concern the parent. If in doubt, let them know, but be sure to keep it factual. Nobody likes hearing negative things about their child, but parents need to know what is going on when they are not around.
Finally, you asked about getting a raise. I have never run into this issue. Most babysitters I have hired always say the same thing to me: “Pay whatever you think is fair.” Well, I don’t really know what is fair. I’m in a babysitting co-op where we trade babysitting with other moms in the co-op. This way, there’s no money exchanged. When I do pay a babysitter, I try to pin down a price. If you are babysitting on a regular basis and have been doing so for a while, I can definitely see why you’d want to ask for a raise. I would suggest approaching your employer and requesting a review. State that you consider this your job and in any other type of position you would be receiving regular reviews and raises based on performance. If it isn’t a steady type of position, you simply need to state that you are having a rate increase. You are basically a contracted employee in this case. If you are saving for a car or to pay for school, you could share that information if you feel comfortable. I would be more inclined to agree to a rate increase if I felt the money was going to a good cause. That’s a personal opinion though. You’ll need to consider the personality of the person you are asking. A simple way of saying it would be, “I’m considering a rate increase of one dollar per hour to help fund the purchase of my new college textbooks. Would you be able to continue using me as your babysitter under these circumstances?” At this point it would be up to the parent to discuss the matter further with you. If you are doing a good job, I think most parents would be happy to pay a little extra to keep you around. Good babysitters are a cherished commodity.
That’s it for now. I hope you’ve enjoyed listening.
This podcast is brought to you by kajeet – the easy, affordable cell phone for kids. Full-featured phones and easy-to-use tools for managing budget and usage. It’s the cell phone service that’s right for kids AND right for parents, and they’ve received terrific reviews from TIME magazine, CNet, tons of mom blogs and more! Low pay-as-you-go rates. No long-term contracts. See kajeet in your local Target store or find out more at kajeet.com --– that’s K-A-J-E-E-T dot com.
If you would like to request a topic for the Mighty Mommy, or if you’d like to share a wonderful tip of your own, you can e-mail mommy@qdnow.com or leave a message at 206-222-9148. Also, if you haven’t already done so, please take a moment to post a review at iTunes. I’d really appreciate it.
The Mighty Mommy’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Practical Parenting is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips network at quickanddirtytips.com. This week Grammar Girl is answering listener questions so be sure to check out her podcast!
This is your friend the Mighty Mommy wishing you happy and fun parenting!