Trusting a babysitter to take care of your children is no small matter, especially if it’s your first time doing so. Once the stress of interviewing and finding a babysitter is over with, you should still make sure you do your part and give the sitter all the tools you can to make their job easier.
While in the best case scenario your babysitter will have the experience, you should still take the time to let them know the individual needs of your child and any information they may need during their time babysitting. If you aren’t sure what sort of things you should talk to your sitter about, keep reading for five must-haves.
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CPR
Your babysitter should know how to perform CPR. Since they will be responsible for the safety of your child, they should be prepared to handle any situation that may occur. Drowning, poisoning, and SIDS are a few of the situations where knowing basic CPR can save your child’s life.
While it may seem like a daunting thing to ask of someone, it’s actually pretty easy to get a CPR certification.
There are online CPR certification courses or in-person CPR courses, and you can get CPR certified the same day as your CPR classes. A CPR certification will give you peace of mind knowing your sitter will be able to help your child in case of an emergency.
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Basic first aid
Aside from CPR, your babysitter should also know how to administer basic first aid. While minor cuts and bruises are easy to treat instinctually, it’s helpful if your babysitter knows how to treat more advanced injuries like burns.
Your babysitter can also get a basic first aid certification. If your sitter has the knowledge to treat wounds, they’ll be more confident to take action if something ever does happen. Be sure to also discuss when injuries are bad enough to call you or 911 for additional help.
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Contact information
While this may seem like a no-brainer, it can be easy to forget certain important numbers that your babysitter may need. They should already have your contact information, but you should also write down numbers for poison control, the nearest hospital, and other emergency personnel.
You can also leave numbers for friends and family members in case your babysitter can’t reach you for whatever reason. Trusted neighbors’ contact info is also a good idea in case of things like a pet getting loose.
If there’s any possible scenario where your babysitter may need to get in touch with a specific person, leave their contact information for them just to be safe.
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Routines
Children depend on routines, so it’s a good idea to let your babysitter know what routines you have at your home.
If you eat dinner before bath-time or after, what books you read before bed, and so on. The more closely your babysitter can stick to your family’s routine, the more likely they are to have a successful day/night.
Don’t forget to include tips for kinks in the routine! For example, if you want your sitter to take your baby for their daily walk but it’s supposed to rain, leave your universal stroller weather shield in an accessible spot. That way, all your sitter has to do is attach the shield so your baby is sheltered, and they can enjoy the outdoors together.
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Tips for tantrums
Tantrums are inevitable for small children, but if there are certain triggers your sitter can avoid to prevent them, try to let them know. Though every trigger won’t be avoidable, your babysitter can at least have a heads-up so they won’t be caught off guard if your kiddo has a meltdown.
It’s also a good idea to include soothers that help your child calm down when they do have a tantrum.
If they have a favorite blanket or song that helps them feel better, make sure your sitter has access to them in case they’re needed. The more success your sitter has at calming tantrums, the better it will be for their personal connection with your kiddo.