6 Things to Know Before Babysitting

6 Things to Know Before Babysitting Image via Isorepublic.com 2. Basic baby/childcare Of course, before you babysit, you should know how to take care of a baby or a child. Know how to safely keep them entertained. Know how to break up a fight between the children. Know what to do when the baby starts crying. These things are simple, but you will definitely need to know how to do them before you babysit. 3. Safety precautions A big part of having a safe, fun babysitting experience (for you and for the kids) is to take certain safety precautions. It’s better to take these precautions before an accident happens rather than deal with the consequences of an accident. Some examples of basic safety precautions you should take include: •Keep doors locked, and don’t answer them if you are not expecting anyone. •When in the kitchen, keep knives out of sight and reach of the children. •Don’t let children near a hot stove. •Don’t leave a baby alone on a changing table. •Don’t let children play in medicine cabinets or other storage locations. •Watch out for any small items kids will put in their mouths. For more about safety precautions, check out this link from the University of Illinois Extension! 4. How to deal with emergencies Before you start babysitting, you should know how to handle an emergency. Know what to do, who to call, or where to go if something happens. For example, what will you do if a child gets injured on the playground? Or if they accidentally get scratched with a sharp object? Be prepared for anything. 5. Any specific instructions Is one of the children sick or taking medicine? Do they need to finish a certain project for school? Are they not allowed to watch a specific show on TV? Do they have any allergies? Do they need to be in bed by a specific time? These are a few examples of specific instructions you should know before you start babysitting. Of course, these instructions will vary from family to family, so if you babysit for multiple families, it’s good to have a habit of asking each set of the parents for these instructions before they leave you with the kids. It’s also a good idea to write these things down, as you might forget them! 6. The parents’ contact information It goes without saying that it’s important to have the parents’ contact info before you start babysitting for them. Keep a note card with the parents’ names, cell phone number, workplace number, the address of their home (where you will be babysitting), the name and phone number of the children’s doctor, and the address of the nearest hospital. I hope you don’t have to use this information, but it’s better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it! This information will be super important in the case of an emergency. Babysitting is a fun way to make money. But before you start babysitting, make sure you know how to take care of the kids, how to prevent them from getting hurt, and what to do if they get hurt. This way, you will be not only a fun babysitter but also a safe one.