I have been babysitting as long as I can remember. I have come to thoroughly enjoy it, and i'M always looking for children that need a sitter. When I first started out babysitting it was nerve-racking, though, and I wasn’t 100% sure what to do. So if you're just starting out in the babysitting world, I would like to pass on some knowledge I've gained to you.
1. Being nervous is 100% normal.
When I first starting babysitting I would get nervous, wondering if the children would like me or think I’m boring. I've discovered that usually the child doesn’t want you to leave, which is a good sign. I still get nervous when I start babysitting for new children for the first time, and nerves are normal. Use the energy that your nerves give you to play a fun made up games with the children.
2. Don’t be on your phone the whole time and actually play with the children.
For one thing, if you're constantly on your phone you cannot watch the child to make sure they don’t get into trouble. If you're constantly on your phone, you will come across as disinterested and not wanting to play with the child, which is never good. You need to actually play with the children, whether it's running around or playing pretend. Your phone can wait. Usually what I do is I wait until the child wants to watch a movie or goes to bed to be on my phone.
3. Don’t be afraid to ask the parents questions, or text them if you need them.
It’s important to know when the child does certain activities like go to bed or take medicine. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or write down information about when to do what (usually the parent will write down what to do, especially if it's your first time). It shows that you are willing to stick to their schedule as closely as possible. Sometimes its hard and the child won’t want to listen, but its nice to follow their schedule as closely as possible.
4. Try to stay on there usually schedule.
As I stated previously, it's important to stay on schedule, especially if it’s a school night. Throwing a child off their usual schedule could affect them at school the next day. For example, if they go to bed an hour or so later that could affect their performance at school. I know that the child will fight it and want to stay up, but you need to be the adult and enforce that its time to go to bed (or do a certain activity).
5. Be stern when you need to be.
Sometimes children don’t listen, and it will be annoying. This is when you be stern. Don’t get mean and yell, just calmly tell the child that it's time for bed (or certain activity) now. You might even have to take away a phone or a tablet for the child to listen. I know you won't want to do that, and it seems like you're the bad guy, but if you're too lenient the child won’t listen to you. Sometimes you need to be stern to enforce the rules and that's okay.
Babysitting can really be fun, especially if you have a good attitude about it. You can make babysitting really fun and exciting by making up games or bringing some fun games. It’s all about your attitude. If you don’t want to babysit, it won't be fun. If you do want to babysit then it will be more enjoyable. I hope these tips were helpful for you, and I hope you enjoy babysitting as much as I do!
