Prepping for a Babysitter

Aug 3

Having a baby who sleeps well opens up a whole world of freedom for parents! And let me tell you a secret - the freedom isn’t just for evening-time ;)

You can go out, have fun, and know that your baby is going to stay asleep the entire night. But…how do you tell you babysitter every single detail about your child’s routine?

I had gotten a babysitter for my daughter during the day while I was bringing my son to our local Rec Centre. When I got home, my daughter was napping, but I could hear her noise machine wasn’t turned on. Not a huge deal when the house is silent. But with my 4-year old’s return to the house, she promptly woke up early from her nap.

This could have been avoided if I had given my babysitter clearer instructions on exactly everything they need to know.

So - how to spill the nitty-gritty details without sounding like you’re crazy? Ha!

Be clear about what’s important.
Is it really important to you that your child only eats Greek Yogurt as their snack before bed? Or is Peanut-Butter Toast okay? If you want your sitter to follow your instructions, you need to be clear about what’s important to you. That way, they’re set up for success from the start, and if your child is pushing or testing their boundaries, the babysitter knows which things they need to stand firm on. If there is nothing that you can think of that feels ‘important’ for you to tell your babysitter, then you can’t be annoyed if the kids get a juice box right before bedtime. Be clear with your expectations.
This would also be a great time to write down any food intolerances or allergies that your children may have, a good time to show your babysitter where the medicine cabinet is, and also if your child has any other medical conditions that she should know about.
Make it easy for your sitter
Do you want your babysitter to come back when you ask her to watch your kids again? If so, make it easy for her! I remember in the days where my daughter was waking up at different times in the morning, I’d provide her day-home with a little schedule of when her naps should be and let them know that she needed to be woken up from those naps in order to stay on her schedule. This ensured that she was napping for her day-home provider, and she was also getting adequate awake time throughout her day.
Also, if your bedtime routine includes specific steps like putting on a nighttime diaper, or using cream vs. lotion, then you need to make it easy for your babysitter to find these items. Laying them out before you leave would be a really nice gesture.
Detail each step by writing it down
I’ve definitely run out of the house while saying “they’ll need to go to bed at 7pm, so start the bath around 6:30pm and then just finish their routine. Thanks so much, bye!”
How confusing…
If your child is going to bed while your babysitter is over watching them, I’d recommend writing down on a sheet of paper, what each step of their bedtime routine is. This is also a great time to write down the timings of each step. For example, if you generally bathe your kids for 20 minutes, let her know that. Also let her know what to do when it’s time to physically lay your child down in their bed. Do you want her to leave the room? Stay with them? Tell them she’ll come back to check-in?
Let her know what the plan is.
Give your sitter a “what if” plan
Giving your babysitter a “what if” plan is crucial. If your child normally sleeps through the night, BUT they woke up and started crying…what happens? Do you want your babysitter to rush in there and put them back to sleep? Do you want her to check them on the monitor and wait a few minutes? Do you want her to call you if they wake?
Even if your child is the most consistent child in the world and you’ve never had a night-waking issue, write down what you would want your babysitter to do if something does happen that’s unexpected. If your only plan is to “call me” if things happen, but she can’t reach you, having a “what if” plan can be so nice for your babysitter. Not only does it give her some peace of mind, but you also have peace of mind knowing that she’ll be doing exactly what you want, as detailed by your plan.
Provide emergency contact numbers should anything go wrong
Accidents happen, kids get randomly sick, and sometimes - you can’t be reached. Leave your babysitter with an emergency contact number for someone who would be available to help if needed. Your babysitter will know that this isn’t a replacement for calling you first, but instead a back-up plan.

I know that leaving your babies is never an easy task, but having a plan of action on HOW to leave them in the best care possible, be prepared!

I’ve put together a printable sheet for you to fill out and leave for your babysitter. The best part is - it’s reusable! Fill it out once and use it each time a babysitter comes by to watch your kids. Just put in your email below and it’ll get sent right to your inbox!