Get help and advice on anything from how to get a great babysitting job, what to do when your client is late, should you do homework while babysitting, or anything else that you need the answers to.
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Ask-a-Sitter is your connection to your most pressing questions.
I have taken a babysitter training course and passed. Does this mean that I have a license to babysit? Kelly
Dear Kelly:
Congratulations on passing your babysitter training! That's great! Unfortunately, passing does not mean that you have a license to babysit.
Actually, there is no such thing as a babysitter’s license for kids. You can receive a completion card or even a wall certification that says you have successfully completed a babysitter course, but this is not a license. It is still up to your parents, the childs parents (that you are babysitting for) and you, to decide if you can now babysit. Most kids who pass a babysitter training program can start to babysit soon after. Have fun!
Dear Sitter,
I would like to start babysitting, and I was wondering what the best way is to find a babysitting job? Jessica
Dear Jessica,
The best way to find a babysitting job is to go to people that you already know. Tell relatives and family friends that you are available to babysit. Also, let younger kids that you know (maybe you read to them at school) that you are looking for a babysitting job. Do not advertise with posters or notices and never answer ads for babysitting. You should only babysit for people that you know.
Dear Sitter,
I just started babysitting and had to put a six year old to bed. I couldn’t get him to go to sleep. What do I do next time? Naomi
Dear Naomi,
It can be hard to get the young ones to sleep, especially if they’ve been playing just before bed. Try letting him play with toys that have no noise or making playtime a little quieter earlier, so that there is more quiet time before bed. You may also want to try reading a bedtime story to him. You’ll get the hang of it!!
Dear Sitter,
I’m worried about having to deal with an emergency when babysitting. What can I do? Jack
Dear Jack,
Emergencies can be scary, but you can make them less scary by practicing! Ask your parents to help you out in this one. Think about an emergency that could happen, you smell smoke in the house or there is a blackout, then get your parents to help you role-play how you would handle the situation. Keep doing this until you feel comfortable with how you would react. You can do it!!
Dear Sitter,
I’ve taken the Babysitter’s Training Program and am really looking forward to starting. Are there any other courses that I should take? Ben
Dear Ben,
Congratulations on passing the Babysitter’s Training Program!! You are well on your way to becoming a great babysitter. It’s always a good idea to enroll in a certified First Aid Program with CPR. Hopefully you’ll never have to use the skills, but a great babysitter is committed to keeping their skills sharp and up to date. You can find the phone number for your local First Aid/CPR program in your phone book or through your local hospital or doctor’s office. Good luck and happy babysitting!
Dear Sitter,
I baby-sit this cute little boy who is four. He is very good and I want to have a nice way to reward him for helping me a lot. He helps clean the table and goes potty by himself. Do you know anything I could give him or treat him to when he is good? Thanks, Sherri
Dear Sherri,
What a great question and what a caring sitter you are. It sounds as though this little boy is very special to you. I would suggest that you reward him for his assistance with a lot of verbal praise as well you may wish to make a little chart for him where you record with stickers every time he helps you out. Once there are 5 or 10 stickers you can bring him a small treat (only if OK’d by his parents) or you could play his favorite game, anything that would allow him to feel he is doing the right thing by helping out so much!
Dear Sitter,
I baby-sit 2 kids once a week for an hour (girls ages almost 5 and almost 3) They are lots of fun but we always play the same game (dogs) I am starting to get really bored with it but I don’t know what else to play. I don’t have extra money to go and buy craft stuff or anything. I just want some new idea or something. The kids have low attention spans for the most part and they aren’t on the same skill/play level so it sometimes makes it hard. What do I do? Help, Krista
Dear Krista,
It would seem that you have played the dog game one to many times! Remember that kids feel comfortable when they are playing something that is familiar to them I would suggest that you continue to play dogs with the kids, maybe for short periods of time. You can suggest that the kids play with something like playdoh or maybe you can draw a picture of something they like and they can color it in. I always find that girls this age just love to dance, so you could put the radio on and hit the dance floor too. Good Luck!
Dear Sitter,
When ever I baby-sit for this one family, they never pay me until weeks later. I am kind of shy to ask for it, what should I do? Trina
Dear Trina,
I must admit babysitting should be done because it is fun, but the reward at the end is also getting paid. When you meet families which you are going to baby-sit for, make sure that you mention during your first meeting that you like to get paid at the end of each job. Seeing that you have already been sitting for this family for a while and they are used to paying you late, you are going to have to come out of your shell to tell them that you need your pay at the end of each job as you are saving towards something special. Hopefully they will understand and next time you sit for them you will be paid at the end of the job.
Dear Sitter,
Do you have any good ideas on what I should put on my babysitting flyers? I want a lot of babysitting jobs for the rest of the summer and during the school year because I'm saving up for a laptop. Any good ideas of what I should write on the flyer? Help ASAP!! Chloe
Dear Chloe,
This is a very interesting question. There are a couple of things I would like to ask you. Have you taken a babysitter’s training program yet? If so, did they cover how to safely obtain a babysitting job? Putting up flyers advertising your babysitting services is one of the most dangerous things you can do. The best way to let people know you are trained and ready to baby-sit is by word of mouth with close family friends, perhaps your parents co-workers or even some people you know well from church or your local community centre. Please NEVER put out a flyer with your personal details on it and please let your friends know not to do this too.
Dear Sitter,
Yesterday it was sunny, I was babysitting a 3 year old and a 8 year old, the 3 year old was napping and the 8 year old wanted me to go outside and play ball with him I had never even thought that this would come up so did not think to ask the parents what to do. I decided that it was best to stay inside. Was this the right thing to do? Alisha
Dear Alisha,
I would say you made the right decision. I am sure that you could find a quiet inside activity for the 8 year old while the 3 year old was napping. Perhaps a movie or you could read books with him. It is always best to always stay close by the kids you are sitting even if they are sleeping. Make sure you mention this to their Mom and ask what she would like you to do should this situation happen again.
Dear Sitter,
I was babysitting an 8 year old girl and her little 4 year old sister yesterday. We decided to go to the local park (already approved by the parents), while we were there the 4 year old had to go to the bathroom. I asked the 8 year old to come along with us as she could not stay on her own, she refused and said that her Mom and Dad would always leave her for a few minutes to take her sister to the potty. I decided to be firm and dragged her kicking and screaming, did I do the right thing? Help, Anna
Dear Anna,
Thanks for your question! Yes, you did the right thing, if you had left the older sister at the playground and taken the wee one to the potty this could have been BIG trouble. Never leave the kids you are watching alone anywhere, not even for a moment this is all it takes for them to disappear or get hurt. Keep up the good work.
Dear Sitter,
Two weeks ago I was babysitting for a family and the Mom sells makeup from her home. After I put the kids to bed I really wanted to have a quick look at all of the makeup she had in different boxes and on tables. I ended up having a little peek at some of the stuff and really liked what I saw, I did not look any further as I felt guilty that I was snooping in her personal stuff. What do you think? Carmen
Dear Carmen,
As a babysitter, don't snoop about the house. Stay out of drawers, bedroom closets, the basement, etc. If the children see you doing this, you may be unjustifiably blamed for missing items later. The best thing to do would be to tell the Mom you noticed she sells makeup and does she have a catalogue you can look at. I am certain that she would be happy to show you and perhaps even give you a deal on something.
Dear Sitter,
About a month ago I babysat a little boy named Max, well he would not go to bed when he was supposed to so I made up a story about a fairy that would come into the rooms of all the little kids who were not sleeping and sprinkle them with magic dust, I asked him to hurry to his room as the fairy was coming. The next day I got a call from his Mom she was upset as apparently he had nightmares all night because he was scared someone was going to come into his room. Do you have any better ideas about how I can get kids to bed when they don’t want to? Embarrassed sitter, Nina
Dear Nina,
Oops, it is best not to make up really imaginative stories like this, especially just before bed! I know you were trying to make it something that would make him excited to go to sleep, but it sounds as though it had the opposite effect. Next time I would try giving him some warmed up milk or maybe a little snack of banana or yogurt, then read him a happy, non-scary book.
Dear Sitter,
My friend told me it was okay to answer the phone when I am babysitting, but I’m not so sure. Is it safe to answer? Suzanne
Dear Suzanne,
You should never answer the phone when you are babysitting unless you know who is calling. Ask the parents to come up with a calling plan. For example, if they are going to call they will let the phone ring three times, hang up and then call back. This way you know it is someone safe to talk to. Good for you for making sure you and the kids you are watching out for are staying safe!
Dear Sitter,
I was babysitting for my mom’s friend and she came home drunk. My dad had already planned to pick me up, but is it okay to tell her that I don’t want her to take me home if my dad wasn’t already coming? Becky
Dear Becky,
It is definitely okay to politely refuse a ride from someone you feel uncomfortable with, for any reason. If you feel uncomfortable telling the client, setting up a code with your parents beforehand is always a great way to handle the situation. For example, if you call your parents and say “I’m coming home now” they will know that this means you want to be picked up. When you get off the phone, tell the client that your parents were confused as to how you are getting home and are coming to pick you up now. Good job keeping yourself safe Becky!
anything else that you need the answers to.
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