Bisner Family Portal

Baby Sitter

The Basics:

Maybe you've been babysitting forever and have a-lot-of- neighborhood families on your list. Or maybe you just landed your first job babysitting for a member of your family. Whether you're a pro or just starting out, babysitting is a fun way to spend some time with kids while making some extra money. Being a babysitter is all about responsibility. As long as you're on the job, you're in charge. Not only do you have to make sure the kids are happy, you have to make sure they're safe and that their needs are taken care of. If you're new to babysitting, check out this guide to learn how to be a good babysitter.

A Good Sitter Must: Click-Here for Spanish

Have good health: Your overall health is important. If you have a cold or other contagious disease, do not accept a babysitting job.
Be dependable & responsible: Dependability is a must. You are responsible for the child's health and safety.
Love little children: The best babysitters usually understand and love children. Children tend to know whether you like them or not.
Be self-confident: Children judge you as much by the way you look and act as by the words you say. Be sure of yourself.
Be mature: You need to be levelheaded and act calmly in an emergency. You have to maintain authority and discipline.
Show good manners: Be pleasant, and act in a courteous manner. This includes respect for the privacy of families by not going through closets and personal possessions.
Be knowledgeable about children: You need a basic understanding of the stages of child development. You must also know the basic techniques of feeding, dressing, diapering, bathing and playing with younger and older children.
Have a business-like attitude: Make sure you agree on the business aspects of the job before babysitting with a new family for the first time. Get the necessary information from the parents before they leave.
Be adaptable: Accept the differences between households. It's your responsibility to fit in with the family's usual pattern or routines — not the other way around. If you feel uncomfortable with the family's lifestyle, you may need to refuse to accept the opportunity to work for them.
Be safety conscious: Protect the children from harm. Be alert at all times.
You will be in demand: Great babysitters are known by many parents. Usually they are busy with repeated jobs for the same families.

Teenager Sitters: Babysitting jobs for teenage kids is, I think, the best way to earn cash. You stay indoors, do not really have to put in too much physical work. Well there are few things you should know about babysitting jobs before you declare it the best bet. Here we will give you a few dos and don'ts in babysitting. We hope that it will guide you to earn some good cash in your spare time.

Dos:

Choose to go for babysitting only in your close-by neighborhood. Whether you are a boy or a girl, you need to consider safety first. You should not have to come back home late at night from too far around the neighborhood - even if you have a bikecycle.
Be-friend of the kids whom you think you will be babysitting a few days in advance (this will not be necessary if you baby-sit in close neighborhood as the kids would know you) so they will be familiar with you and more importantly you with them.
Before the adults leave, take down (literally write it down) where to contact them if any emergency arises - and have an alternative to that as well. Ask them at what time they return and inform your parents about your returning schedule.
Ask (and if possible write) what is expected of you while baby-sitting, specially if they ask you to feed the children.
Do be extra patient with the kids and behave as one of them. It is easier to control them when you are a peer/ friend than a 'grown up'.

Don'ts:

DO NOT go too far for babysitting at night.
DO NOT take up babysitting if any male in that family/ house makes you feel uncomfortable (there are instances when children who baby-sit are molested by adults in the family other than the parents of the kids).
DO NOT feel scared to immediately react if anybody touches you wrongly.
DO NOT hit the kids (at nay cost do not use violence for controlling the kids); do not close them in a room (or bathroom or closet) as punishment or otherwise.
DO NOT allow them to leave your sight (whether outdoors or indoors); if they want to go to their room, the door to the room should stay open so you can see the kids whenever you want or need .
DO NOT feed them anything unless you are asked to do so.
DO NOT allow strangers into the house unless your employer specifically informs you to let them in.
DO NOT tell a caller that you are the baby-sitter alone with the children. Take a message and tell them that the person will return the call momentarily.
DO NOT go outside to investigate suspicious noises or activities. Turn on outside lights and call the local police. Be sure that all doors and windows are locked.

These tips you should keep in mind when you go for baby-sitting. The best bet in baby sitting is when you get the 'contract' of house that are within a half-kilometer radius of your own house. Ensure that you are happy with the wages that they pay you before hand - so you will not be disappointed later. It should not be less than $5.00 per hour - per child- but check locally to find the going rate.

Teenager Legalities: You are a teenager and are rearing to go out there and earn your money ' your own cash. This is a heady experience, one that you will enjoy very much. The power to earn your own cash is so great that many never leave part time jobs once they start it. The jobs are not difficult to land and with every new job you gain more insight and experience and you are prepared to get more and better jobs. However are you aware of the legal implications of a working teenager? Rights and duties? It is most likely that you have never even thought of this angle. But this is a very important aspect and one that can land you into some embarrassment with the law if you are not careful. Remember, not knowing about law is not an excuse to break it. So before you got out to search for that ideal job understand the legal implications. The teenage legal stuff is as essential as that applicable for adults.

Not many people are aware that they break the law when they work without fulfilling the basic requirements that involve teenage work. Note this is not an exhaustive list and hence for accuracy you should check with your local guardian or legal advisor (at school or at any social center). Also be aware the each State & Country may have different laws that cover teenagers working conditions.

Timings: Teenagers below 14 years old are usually not encouraged to work in offices. For those above 14 and above they should not be working at night. The legal hours are any time between 7 am to 7 pm ' of course ensuring that school is taken care of. Those between 16-19 years of age can be free to work as much and as long as they please. However, girls should always be wary and careful when working nights as crime increases at night.
Work areas: Teenagers may work anywhere they can be engaged with the exception of places where they could endanger themselves or others, such as construction sites, repair sites or garages, chemical and other types of processing, mining, messenger jobs, warehousing, adult clubs and bars.
Social security number: There are places where teens need a social security number to receive payment.
Taxes: Most of the time teen jobs do not involve tax payments and need not have any dedication in the paychecks. However, you need to consult the local IRS on this matter "Check with Uncle-SAM".

Each state and country has its own set of rules and what is valid in one may not be in another. Do not take anything for granted. Keep in mind that legal aspects are serious matters and you do need complication with the law. Check and be sure you fulfill all the legal formalities applicable for teenagers before you even apply for work. Ask the help of a responsible adult, such as your parents, teachers or relatives and seek out the correct answers.

Quick-Tips: Responsibility!

Take your baby-sitting responsibility seriously. Part of that responsibility is protecting yourself as well as the children for whom you will be caring. Know your employer before you take the job. Check references if this will be the first time working for this person.

Before accepting the job, get specific instructions about the number and ages of the children, bed times, foods, medicines and other information about personal habits and what is expected of you. Parents typically feel confident with a baby-sitter who asks questions and who is concerned with the care of the children. When you accept a job, arrive early to confirm all of this information. Get any additional instructions such as where the parents are going, when they will return and how they may be contacted. Determine which relative or neighbor can be called in an emergency in the event the parents cannot be reached. Knowing first aid procedures before you take on baby-sitting jobs will help prepare you for emergencies and may save a life.

Printable Checklist (Checklist Form Click Here)

Name, address and phone number of employer
Directions to job location
Arrange your transportation to get to location and return home
Location and phone number of where employer can be reached in case of emergency
Alternate person to contact for emergency if employer cannot be reached
Special instructions from employer
Locations and instructions on use of safety equipment such as fire extinguishers, first aid supplies
Walk through house with employer to ensure all doors and windows are locked
Turn outside lights on
Have emergency numbers and note taking materials by the telephone

Home Safety Tips

When sitting at a home for the first time, the baby-sitter should obtain important fire and life safety information as well. Make sure the address is clearly posted outside. Write down the address and post it near the telephone. Make sure the phone has a 9-1-1 sticker. Walk through the home to familiarize yourself with the locations of all rooms. Determine which bedrooms children will be sleeping in and make sure there are two exits from each. Locate all exits from the home. Each year, at least one pediatric drowning can be attributed to a baby-sitter who answered the telephone or spoke with friends while a toddler slipped into the family swimming pool, toilet, bathtub, dog bowl, etc. Injuries may occur to children when the baby-sitter's attention is elsewhere. A toddler may fall or pull a hot pot off the stove when the baby-sitter isn't watching. An unnoticed child may take the opportunity to play with matches when the parents have left.

Playing: Although children need you in case of an emergency like fire, injuries, or sickness, they need you for play, too. The good baby-sitter is a good player. Here are some things children play at and dangers to watch for.

The infant is discovering his body. He likes to throw, hold, drop, tear, grab, roll.
Some dangers - puts things in his mouth, helpless in water, and can easily smother.
Toddlers are getting into everything.
The toddler likes to bang, push, pull, put in, take out, jump, draw, and color.
Some dangers - swallowing things, falling, matches and lighters, heaters, poisons, and the stove.
From the age of three on, children like active physical games, arts and crafts, blocks, pretend, games of skill, and reading.
Some dangers: street dangers, falls, stoves, heaters, matches and lighters.
Bring some things to play with like a notebook, magazines, colored paper, color markers, tape, and a flashlight.
Surprises for the children will make the job easy for you and fun for them. Make a game of putting things back in their place.

Be Safe

Never leave children alone.
When they are alone, they can have unintentional injuries with matches, gasoline, the stove, water, poisons, falls, and drowning.
Keep matches and lighters locked away from children.
Trade sharp and electrical objects for something safe to play with.
Keep portable heaters away from play areas, curtains, furniture, and the children as well.
Contact burns are common for toddlers, especially if they fall against hot surfaces like space heaters.
Don't smoke on the job. Baby-sitters have caused child deaths by smoking.

Cook Safely

Supervise children when they are in the kitchen. This is the place for injuries with fire and hot liquids.
You and the children should wear tight sleeves during meal preparation. Loose-fitting clothes can catch fire.
Turn pot handles inward on the stove so children can't pull them down.
Smother a pan fire with a lid. Never use water.
Roll up appliance cords so they can't be pulled down.
Put the baby in the playpen if you have a hot pot or drink in hand, so she can't get burned.

First Aid:

For emergency help, call 9-1-1. Call the parents if you have questions about lesser emergencies. Notify the parents about injuries (if any) when they return.

For minor cuts, stop bleeding by applying gentle pressure with a clean cloth. Wash the wound and apply a bandage.
Learn CPR. There are any number of emergencies where your knowledge of CPR could arise and be needed.
If the child swallows something poisonous, call 9-1-1. Have the container ready so you can read it to the fire department on the phone.
Show children how to stop, drop and roll in case their clothes catch on fire. Rolling smothers the flames. Use a blanket or rug if one is on hand. Call 9-1-1.
Put cool water on a burn; this slows skin damage. If the skin is already blistered, dead white, brown, or charred, you need emergency help. Call 9-1-1.

Fire Escape Planning

Check smoke detectors.
Plan ahead. Know how to get children out of the bedrooms if the front or back doors are blocked by smoke or fire.
Make sure you know in advance what all your escape options are.
Smoke kills. Shut doors to stop it from advancing.
Show children how to crawl under smoke to get better air near the floor.
If there's a fire, get everybody out and then call 9-1-1 from a neighbor's house.
Don't go back to the burning house. Many people are killed returning to a burning building.

Additional Resources: