8 Tips To Become A Better Babysitter

Hey guys! I know babysitting is a popular “teenager job” and for good reasons, it’s flexible, it pays pretty well and if you already watch your younger siblings/cousins, it may be the perfect fit for you! For today’s post, I’m gonna share 8 tips for becoming a stellar babysitter!

1. Show up early. It never hurts to be early to a babysitting job, especially if it’s the first time. You don’t want the parents to be waiting around for you and be late to their event. Also, showing up early shows the parents that you’re serious about this and that you’re responsible.

2. Dress the part. Now is not the time to wear anything ripped, anything a little on the short side or anything questionable at all. I’d recommend a (non-ripped 😉 ) pair of jeans a simple shirt. Something somewhat professional and simple.

3. Write down emergency numbers. I know we all have the little “emergency button” on our smartphones, but make sure to also have both parents’ phone numbers written down and your own parents phone numbers as well.

4. What TV can the kids watch? This is one that I learned from personal experience. I went to babysit some kids for the first time and the parents had said they could watch TV for an hour, but didn’t say what they could watch. And the kids all had drastically different opinions and so I just played with them during the TV hour. This is always a good question to ask though.

5. Bring a new game/activity. Bringing a new game/activity is great for when the kids get tired of their own games and want something else. Chances are they’ll really enjoy any game/toy you bring. 🙂

6. Actually play with the kids. Remember, the parents are paying you to play with their kids, not to be on your phone or on social media. They probably wouldn’t be happy if they found out you were on your phone the whole time. Make sure to keep your phone handy though, in case of any emergencies.

7. If the kids miss their parents… Let’s face it, the kids probably don’t know you super well, so they might miss there parents or think they’re not coming back, etc. Try distracting them with a new game/toy (now would be a great time to grab the activity from step 5), if they persist with their fear, assure them that there parents will be there in the morning or to put them to bed, then move on.

8. Clean up the house & kitchen. If you make dinner or the kids are eating dinner when you arrive or if there are dishes in the sink at all, wash the dishes. It’s fine if you don’t know where to put them, just dry them and leave them neatly on the counter. Also make sure to clean up the house after any games. Try to make cleaning up a game itself with the kids!

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I hope these babysitting tips will be helpful for you guys!

💙 Hannah

Do you babysit? Do you have younger/older siblings? What’s your favorite thing to do while stuck in the house?