How to be a good babysitter

To be a good babysitter, you need to openly communicate with your parent clients, be prepared, and stay organized. Here are some details on these strategies you can employ to be a good babysitter:

• Openly communicate with your parent clients

When you are babysitting, don't feel like you have to know everything. Reach out to the parents if you have a question that they didn't cover before leaving the house.

This goes for simple matters, like the location of certain essential baby or kid-related items. Or more complex problems, like if their son or daughter is inconsolable for a long period, and you have tried several different strategies, and nothing is working.

You should also mention anything relevant to the child's behavior after a babysitting session. Parents appreciate this sort of feedback, and it shows you care about your job.

• Be prepared

Preparation is key in babysitting. Your number one priority while babysitting is the safety of the baby or child in your care. This means being prepared for any safety issue or emergency that could happen.

You should keep a list of important phone numbers in the event something goes wrong. This includes phones like:

• Parents

• Other family members to contact in an emergency (grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc.)

• Poison control

While the parents will almost certainly notify you, it's also a good idea to double-check on whether or not the child in your care has any allergies. Here are some other critical areas of safety:

• Knowing the layout of the family's home

• Being aware of choking hazards (toys, household items, etc.)

• Understand if the child is allowed to play outside and with other children nearby

There are many different safety situations that can arise while babysitting, so make sure you are as prepared as possible.

• Stay organized

Babysitting goes more smoothly when you are organized. Children also tend to benefit from routine and structure. You should try to keep notes on every child you are watching, so you can reference them before going in for each different session.

Your notes can include things like: