Archive for the ‘Babysitting 101’ Category

10 Famous Games Babysitters Should Not Play With Kids

January 9th, 2012 by admin

Most kids grow up playing these classic games; in a group where all participants are of roughly the same age and size, they’re great fun. However, babysitters should never join in these games with their charges due to the possible risks involved.

1. Red Rover – Some organizations have banned this game altogether, but it can be fun if played carefully. A babysitter with two to three times the physical strength and size of their charges can  inadvertently cause serious injury by crashing into more fragile arms too roughly.
2. Hide and Seek – With older children that have a clear understanding of dangerous hiding places, this game is harmless fun. Babysitters of younger charges shouldn’t participate in the game; they should set clear boundaries for play and watch carefully as children select their hiding places. When the searcher begins looking for their playmates, a good babysitter should already know exactly where each child is; taking part in the game would make this nearly impossible.
3. Tug of War – Once again, the more powerful musculature of teenage or adult babysitters can pose a significant risk when playing this game. Leave it to the children while you keep an eye out for injuries, being sure to monitor the amount of strain that little arms and wrists are under.
4. Wrestling – For toddlers, this game can quickly become too dangerous with a grown-up opponent. Explaining to parents that their child is hurt because you wrestled with them too hard is difficult, and sure to make them think twice about calling you the next time they need a sitter.
5. Football – The slightest miscalculation in force when tackling a little one can result in very grave injuries. If your charges insist on playing football, opt for the touch variety or sit out while they play tackle.
6. Dodgeball – In the heat of competition, it’s easy for a sitter to throw a ball too hard. Face and head injuries are a very real possibility when kids of comparable size play dodgeball; adding a larger person to the equation is just asking for trouble.
7. Soccer – Unless you’re very sure that you can control the force and speed with which you kick a soccer ball, leave the soccer games to the kids while you cheer them on from the sidelines.
8. Bloody Mary – While it’s certainly not physically dangerous, parents will not appreciate a frightened child that keeps them up all night after a sitter introduced them to the classic Bloody Mary. The grisly legend and morbid accompanying game are the quickest way to never be hired by a family again.
9. Truth or Dare – Truth or Dare is a game that explores boundaries and pushes the limits of acceptable behavior. The very nature of the game makes it inappropriate for sitters to play with their charges; even with innocent dares and questions that don’t explore touchy subjects, maintaining authority after these boundaries have been blurred may be difficult.
10. Blind Man’s Bluff – Sending a child careening around the backyard while blindfolded is a recipe for disaster. If children insist on playing, you should supervise them very closely and never join in.

Remember that babysitting is different from playing with younger siblings, and that parents will hold a babysitter accountable for any injuries sustained because of irresponsible behavior. Use your best judgment when you suggest pastimes and games while you’re responsible for children, and always make sure that safety is your first concern.

What Makes a Babysitter a Rockstar?

January 3rd, 2012 by admin

Good sitters are hard to find, so when the kids look forward to having their favorite babysitter, parents know they’ve discovered a real gem. While most parents and their children are perfectly content with mediocre sitters who do a competent job, there are some who reach real rockstar status. What makes the difference between adequate and awesome? Here are a few things that make an ordinary babysitter a rockstar.

Kids love to have a good time, so a sitter who knows how to have fun with the children is going to be a big hit. Babysitters who bring new games and will play with the kids are going to be greeted with excitement. They’ll play the children’s favorite video games with them and help them reach new levels. Of course, they also need to know when to let the kids win. Smart sitters who incorporate fun with learning will gain rockstar status with the parents as well.

Babysitters should show up cheerful, energetic and ready to keep up with young rambunctious children. They also need to have a good sense of humor. Kids love to play pranks on babysitters, so they must be able to take a joke and laugh at themselves. Sitters who can take practical jokes in stride will gain the respect of the kids and have rockstar potential.

Kids are not going to like a sitter who plays favorites, so rockstar babysitters will always be fair with all the children. These sitters take the time to find out what’s unique about each child they care for and give individual attention to each one. This is a way sitters can make each kid feel like they’re really special without alienating the rest.

Children want to believe that their babysitter is there because they really care about them and not just to make some money. Rockstar sitters are loving and caring with lots of hugs and kisses for boo-boos. They don’t let on that they’re being paid or that they sit for other families. This illusion can be shattered if kids see their parents paying the babysitter.

Don’t think for a minute that sitters can reach rockstar status by just being nice to the kids and letting them get away with anything. Children will push the limits of every babysitter to see what they can get by with. Sitters who are too lenient may be popular with the kids, but they won’t get their respect. Potential rockstars will know how to be firm and fair while enforcing the rules. This will be appreciated by both the kids and their parents.

The best sitters know that they can’t just be popular with the kids, and that it’s the parents they really need to please. It’s the parents, after all, who hire them and pay them at the end of the day. The babysitters who do a little extra plus go above and beyond the call of duty are going to earn their rockstar award from the parents. They’ll bring over books or videos for the kids to enjoy and not just show up to collect a check. These babysitters will not only clean up after themselves and the kids, but wash up the few dishes left in the sink. When parents come home to a house that’s cleaner than when they left with happy children begging the sitter to stay, they know they’ve found a real prize.

Rockstar sitters will be in demand and also get the best pay. Once they earn that reputation, they’ll have parents and kids eating out of their hand. Pretty soon the parents are rearranging their schedule to fit the sitter’s calendar and the kids are demanding that the parents go out so they can see their favorite sitter again. Life is good for rockstar babysitters.

10 Reasons to Order Pizza for the Sitter

December 31st, 2011 by admin

In tough economic times, justifying the cost of a babysitter, the cost of a night out and ordering a pizza for the sitter and kids at home can be difficult. It’s tempting to ask a babysitter to prepare an easy meal for themselves and your children, but here are some of the reasons you might want to consider forking over the extra cash and opting for delivery.

1. Convenience – Some babysitters, especially teens, can find it a little bit difficult to prepare a meal while keeping an eye on active children. Opting for pizza means one less task, which could make all the difference if your kids are on the rambunctious side.
2. Safety – Aside from the potential risk of kitchen fires that accompanies an inexperienced attempt at cooking dinner, avoiding heat sources and sharp knives might be a good idea. Small children will need to be in the kitchen while the sitter’s cooking so she can keep an eye on them, and it might not be the safest environment if she’s inexperienced.
3. To Avoid “Picky Eater” Problems – Even finicky kids love pizza, which can be a blessing for your sitter. Children that refuse to eat anything that isn’t prepared to their exact specifications can drive a sitter to distraction; ordering a pizza is surefire way to make sure your kids don’t go to bed with empty bellies because the sitter doesn’t know how to cut a sandwich into the right shape.
4. Easy Clean Up – Instead of a sink full of dishes, a pizza night will only leave a few plates to be washed and leftovers to put away. Despite a good sitter’s best efforts, they’re unlikely to put kitchen implements in their proper places because your home isn’t familiar to them.
5. To Make Sure the Sitter Eats – Sometimes a babysitter can be uncomfortable eating your food, especially if she’s on the shy side. Leaving money for pizza is the best way to ensure that you don’t have a hungry sitter on your hands.
6. Easing Separation Anxiety – Some kids have a hard time with separation anxiety, especially if the sitter is new to them. Leaving your children with a hug and the promise of a pizza party can go a long way towards soothing the pains of being left behind.
7. An Incentive For Good Behavior – Letting your kids know that the sitter will order pizza if they behave is a great reward for their good behavior. Instruct the sitter to only order if the kids follow instructions in front of your children, and they’ll be on their best behavior.
8. To Keep the Focus on Your Kids – If you expect the sitter to give your children their undivided attention, don’t set her up for failure by expecting her to prepare a meal in the other room. Putting slices of pizza on plates and pouring drinks will require very little of her time to be spent on tasks other than watching your kids and keeping them entertained.
9. Giving Your Children Their Own Special Night – When you go out for the evening, plan a special night for your kids, too. A pizza party and a DVD rental is the equivalent of a night on the town for kids; they’ll appreciate being able to enjoy their idea of a party while you’re gone.
10. Leftovers – That leftover pizza is sure to look good tomorrow, especially if a late night leaves you less-than-fully-rested.

A great sitter is worth her weight in gold, and are typically in pretty high demand. If she has to choose between you and the family down the street that expects her to cook an elaborate meal the next time you call her, she’ll probably choose the family that makes her job as painless as possible. Leaving money for pizza might stretch your budget a bit, but it’s a worthwhile investment if it helps you hold on to the best babysitter in the neighborhood.

10 Reasons Every Sitter Should Be Able to Drive

December 26th, 2011 by admin

The average sitter seems to be between 12 and 15 years old, well below the age for driving and for jobs lasting only a few hours that’s fine. However older sitters who also drive can be a boon to parents for many reasons of convenience.

1. Responsibility – Just by the fact that she is old enough to drive and assuming you have done your homework in background checks and references, if you trust her that means she has what it takes to be responsible. Whether the car is hers or borrowed from her parents, she has shown enough maturity to be able to handle the task of being a driver.
2. Convenience – If you have very small children it can really be a hassle to get them ready for a car ride to pick up the sitter who will be coming back to the house to watch them. An older sitter can drive to and from the job which makes it easier on parents and children.
3. Emergencies – In the event of an emergency it’s comforting to know that your sitter will be able to drive your child to the doctor or hospital if necessary. Discuss with your sitter any health related issues she should know about that may necessitate such an urgent trip. Some emergencies are best handled by making a 911 call. Make sure your sitter knows the difference.
4. Errands – Sometimes things come up and having a sitter who can run a quick errand can be a real timesaver for you. Even though your sitter may be willing to go the extra mile for you, make sure to show your appreciation in a tangible way and never take your sitters thoughtfulness for granted.
5. Chauffer the kids – Being able to let go of some of your chauffeuring duties can free up some extra time for you. It’s handy to have a sitter who is able to take the kids to and from their activities with no worries on your part.
6. Drive to the park – In many cities the nearest park is not necessarily within walking distance from home. A sitter who drives will be able to take the kids to the park so they can socialize with other children and get some exercise and fresh air.
7. Picking the kids up from school – There will be days when your schedule will conflict with that of your children. Instead of scrambling to make it work having the option of calling the sitter and asking her to get the kids means less stress for you.
8. Outings – Sometimes events come up that the kids would like to attend but you may not be able to take them. If you have a sitter that is willing and able to drive, your children will not have to miss any of those events.
9. The comfort ride – Okay this may be a bit of a stretch, but face it, some kids only settle down when they ride in the car. If you have such a fussy little tyke, you and your sitter will be glad she can drive. Why spoil a great night out with your spouse when a ride around the block a couple of times with your trusty sitter will put your little sweetie right to sleep.
10. Change of plans – Not very often, but once in a great while a major change of plans comes along. When that happens it’s a comfort to have a sitter who can drive the kids where they need to go, whether it’s to your parents’ home, your office, or someplace else.

Younger sitters are nice to have and certainly need the experience. At the same time a trusted older sitter with driving capabilities and a clean driving record can be a real asset especially when times get hectic. Ground rules for driving your kids are a must. It’s your responsibility to make sure the sitter is clear on what is and is not allowed including cell phone usage when your kids are in the car. Make sure you reimburse her for gas costs and let her know this extra service is appreciated.

10 Reasons Older Siblings Can Be Terrible Sitters

December 19th, 2011 by admin

It seems only natural for older siblings to be given the position of built-in babysitter. After all, they know the family rules and expectations better than any hired babysitter would. However, even though this may seem the ideal situation, it might not necessarily be the best choice. Here are ten things to take into consideration before bestowing that mantle of responsibility upon the eldest child:

1. Power – Power struggles can develop, especially when siblings are relatively close in age. There is a saying, “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power tends to corrupt absolutely.” Older siblings may abuse their sense of power over their younger ones, which in turn can result in rebellion on the younger siblings’ part and a general breakdown of order.
2. Following House Rules – Ideally, house rules will be followed while parents are absent, however, there is always the child who feels he or she can improve upon those rules by making them more stringent since Mom and Dad are not around. On the opposite end of the scale is the child who didn’t like the rules anyway and allows anarchy to take over.
3. Teasing – Teasing can quickly grow from being a mere irritation to real torture. Siblings often tease each other, but in a situation in which there is no adult supervision teasing can easily get out of hand.
4. Rejection – Some older children may not want to be bothered with watching a younger brother or sister. They may agree to the job, but when the parents are gone, so is any interest in what the younger children may be doing.
5. Bullying – Once the parents are gone, a sibling who has a tendency to bully may pull the stops out.
6. Electronic babysitting – In this age of technology even parents resort to the electronic babysitters: television and video games, so older siblings may to make use of this convenience. Unmonitored viewing or video gaming opens the way for children to witness things they shouldn’t see.
7. Frustration – Older siblings can become frustrated with younger children acting out or being uncooperative and may not have the skills to cope with their frustration.
8. Fear of being alone – Not everyone is okay with being alone, including some adults. Though technically the older child is not alone, the anxiety of being the responsible one added to the fear of being without adult protection can put a lot of unnecessary stress on him or her.
9. Communication issues – Parents often comment on how their children don’t listen when they say something, but seem to pay attention when someone else says the same thing. Depending on the age differential, that lack of communication can be an even greater problem between siblings.
10. Abuse – Sibling abuse often goes unrecognized, since most parents understand it is normal for siblings to quarrel and have conflicts. However, if one child is always the victim and the other always the aggressor, it’s time to take action. A 2005 study showed that 35 out of 100 children are victims of sibling abuse. Unfortunately, it may not be so easy for parents to distinguish sibling rivalry from abuse, especially since the abuse will most likely occur when parents are absent.

Having older siblings babysit can be a financially smart move, especially in this economy. Certainly there are perks to having a “built-in babysitter;” at the same time, parents need to be aware of possible pit falls. It is important to teach all children responsibility and to help siblings learn to watch over and respect one another; however, placing a child in a position of responsibility that he or she is not mature or committed enough to handle can have lasting negative effects on everyone.

5 Reasons Why CPR Training is Important for Sitters

December 13th, 2011 by admin

You may think that CPR training is not important for a babysitter, who is only going to be taking care of kids for a few hours at a time. This is far from the truth. CPR training is very important for babysitters to have, no matter how infrequent their babysitting jobs and how short the time is that they are in care of the children. Here are five reasons why.

1. Caregiver – Any caregiver needs to know CPR. Being a caregiver means that you are the person responsible for the well-being of those you care for. In the case of a babysitter, you are responsible for the care and well-being of other people’s children. This is a very weighty responsibility and should be entered into with training that will cover as many different scenarios as possible.
2. Kids get into trouble – Kids do not fully understand all the dangers around them and seem to manage to find ways to get themselves into dangerous situations, no matter how hard you try to keep them safe. They find their way to water, which could drown them. They swallow things that can make them choke. They ingest things that can be harmful to them. They wrap things around their necks, put bags over their heads and shut themselves in small spaces. When a babysitter has more than one child in her care, at one time, it is especially easy to lose track of the most adventurous one. Even with just one, it is amazing how fast they can disappear, when you turn your back.
3. Emergencies cannot be predicted – To think that ‘nothing’ is going to happen in the few short hours that a babysitter is caring for children is naïve. Although, the risk may be lowered, it still remains. Emergency situations can happen at any time. They only take moments to develop; they cannot be predicted.
4. Time is of the essence – When a person has stopped breathing and/or their heart is no longer beating, you cannot wait for someone else to arrive; CPR needs to be started immediately. The longer a person’s brain is deprived of oxygen, the lower their chances of being revived and recovering. If a child should require CPR, while in a babysitter’s care, the babysitter is most likely the one who will need to provide it.
5. The only ‘adult’ in the house – The children are not the only ones, whom a babysitter may need to administer CPR to. Unexpected situations can arise where a babysitter may find themselves giving CPR to a parent, prior to or upon returning to the home. In other cases, it may be a neighbor who is in need of emergency assistance.

CPR training is important general knowledge for everyone once they reach their teenage years and beyond. Emergency situations can arise at any time and in any place. You never know when you will be the only one available to administer CPR.

10 Tips for Teaching Kids to Pick Up Their Toys

December 3rd, 2011 by admin

Have you ever been to a baby shower where they ask you to fill out a card with advice for the new mother?  The one thing I wish someone would have told me is to start early with having your kids pick up their own toys.  It you get the chance to pass that on to a young mother or father please do.  Try not to tell them as you are tripping over toys coming into their house, but just randomly mention it in conversation.  It may make their lives easier in the long run.  For those that did not start their kids young, fear not!  It’s not too late for you.  Check out 10 tips for teaching kids to pick up their toys.

1. Make it a game: This works especially well for younger children.  The key is to not make it too difficult.  Younger children have toys with big pieces so that will make it easier to put their toys back together.  Sing the clean-up song or play it on the computer if you are not much of a singer.  Google it and you should be able to pull it up.  It goes, “Clean up, Clean up, everybody everywhere.  Clean up, clean up everybody do your share”.  If you are helping them and showing them how to put the blocks back into their box and to put the balls back into the bin then they will learn where things go.  Making sure that everything has a place to go is key to making this work.
2. Set a good example: As in all things, kids learn by example.  If you come into the living room at the end of the day and kick off your shoes and sit down then your kids will grow up seeing that.  They will come home from school and kick off their shoes and they will remain wherever they kicked them off.  If you have a rule about taking off your shoes when you come into the house then you should have a place by the door to put their shoes.  If you pick up after yourself then your kids will too.
3. Set a timer: Sometimes it’s more fun to do things fast.  Not only does it become a race and something that is fun instead of a chore it is something that is for a limited time.  Anyone can pick up for 5 minutes.  It’s amazing what you can do in 5 minutes.  The trick is to do this every day or a couple times a day if your kids are still home.  You can expand this into a weekend routine where everyone sees how much they can clean in 20 minutes.  This will include Mom and Dad and that will set a good example for the kids.
4. Make it part of their routine: Create routines for your kids and they will be more productive and less likely to forget things.  There are routines already created online if you look hard enough, but you can do it yourself.  Start out by writing down everything your kids need to do in the morning to get ready for school.  Add in 5 minutes for them to do a quick pick up of their room.  This will make sure that the room is presentable all day.  Then create a bedtime routine and add in 5 minutes where they walk around the house and pick up all of their personal items.  They have to either put them away if they got them out (like video game controllers), or take them back to their room.  Then add on another 5 minutes for them to do another quick clean-up of their room.  That way they will have their room picked up before they go to bed and there won’t be as much to do in the morning when they are in a hurry.
5. Enlist their help in organizing: If the child knows where everything goes than they will be more likely to put their stuff away.  If they have no clue where it goes then they will get overwhelmed when you tell them to pick up their room.  They will tell you they can’t because they don’t know how.  To avoid this argument you can label the bins with what goes where or if the child does not read you can use pictures.
6. Clean up as they go along: Get your child into the habit of cleaning up one thing before getting out another.  This will limit the number of things they have to clean up when it’s time to go do something else.  If they get out a puzzle they have to put that away before they get out the Legos.  When they are done with the Legos they have to put those back in the box before they get out the dolls.  If they clean as they go then there should only be a couple of things to pick up when it’s time for bed or supper or whatever.
7. Set up consequences: If you have tried many different things to get your child to keep their room clean or the house clean, then set up consequences.  Let your child know that you are going to inspect their room first thing Saturday morning and that anything you find that isn’t put away you will be putting in a time out box.  To get those toys or personal items back they will need to buy them back from you.  How they buy them back is up to you.  Do you give your child an allowance?  If you do then they can buy things back with real money.  If you don’t give them an allowance you can pay them with fake “Daddy bucks”.  If you Google that you will find a site where you can put an actual picture of Daddy or whoever on a play dollar bill.  Just as if you were paying them with real money you will pay them a wage every week for the chores they do.  They can use those bucks to trade in for toys in a treasure box (usually little trinkets from the dollar store or bargain bin) or a special outing with Mom.
8. Break the task down: Sometimes doing a big clean up job is hard so you can break it down into manageable tasks.  This works for almost any age child from preschool on up.  Tell the child, “Let’s put all of the little people back into their bus”.  Then tell them to put all of their cars into the garage.  Now let’s put all of the books back into the bookshelf.  You can train them to break bigger tasks into smaller tasks and then they won’t feel so overwhelmed.
9. Play fun music: Make clean-up time a fun time when you can listen to the music louder than normal.  Let them dance around a little bit as they are putting things away.  Let them shoot the stuffed animals into the toy box as if they were playing basketball.  If you make clean-up time fun then you won’t run into so much resistance when it’s time to clean-up.
10. Give rewards for doing well: When your child has done a good make sure that you tell them that.  Maybe they can earn bonus bucks or a sticker on their chore chart.  Any little way that you want to reward them.  Maybe they get to choose what dessert gets made for supper that night.  Children don’t have to have big rewards to feel rewarded.

 

10 Great Christmas Gifts for Your Babysitter

December 1st, 2011 by admin

If you have a regular babysitter that you really appreciate, you may want to show that appreciation through a holiday gift. It doesn’t have to be large or expensive, just a token that expresses your appreciation for their loyalty and dependability. Here’s some ideas for this Christmas.

1. Babysitter Club Books – If your babysitter is in the tween age range, then they probably are reading the Babysitter Club series of books. They include good wholesome entertainment and good tips for babysitters as well. Check with their parents about which books they haven’t read yet and add to their collection.
2. Book bag – Babysitters usually come toting books to read or homework to do when they babysit. Giving them a new book bag is a great gift idea. Having it personalized with their name and/or #1 Babysitter would make it even more special.
3. Movie Theatre Pass – Babysitters of almost any age still enjoy going to the movie theatre. Providing a couple of free movie theatre passes is a great, fun gift that they are sure to enjoy.
4. iTunes – If your babysitter has an ipod for playing their music, an iTunes gift card makes a perfect gift. They can add more of their favorites songs to their portable stereo. It is a gift they’re sure to be happy with.
5. Fast food gift coupons – Pizza, McDonalds, Burger King, Subway and ice cream shops all have gift coupons or gift cards that you can purchase. Most any babysitter would be happy to receive these in their Christmas card from you.
6. Personalized T-shirt – Just like the book bag, a personalized T-shirt with your statement of #1 Babysitter on it would make a great gift for your babysitter’s holiday. You’ll probably find them wearing it often when they show up in the future.
7. Pampering basket – A basket of scented lotions, bath oils and other items designed for pampering a young lady would be quite appropriate for your babysitter’s Christmas gift.
8. Nail treatment – A gift certificate from a salon for a manicure or pedicure is a great gift to give your babysitter. It is something she may not always have the money to spend on for herself, which makes it a special treat.
9. Gift cards – You can get gift cards for almost any popular big-box store or small boutique. Teens love to have this opportunity to shop for something new without having to take the money out of their own bank account.
10. Cash bonus – Some extra cash always works if you want to keep it simple and will always be welcome, no matter what the holiday or the occasion.

Whether it is a Christmas gift or just a token of appreciation for a babysitter that you want to keep coming back, these are all great ideas that would deliver the message perfectly.

10 Nicknames for Baby Poo

November 14th, 2011 by admin

Isn’t it interesting how we come up with our little slang terms to try and make disgusting things seem a little less, um, disgusting? Using technical terms just doesn’t seem quite right. Have you ever heard some say that their baby has a diaper full of feces? Nope. We have plenty of other names for it, but not that.

1. Number Two – ‘Change his diaper? Which is it, number one or number two?’ No one is sure who came up with this anatomical numbering system, but it has become a pretty universal code for distinguishing the bodily waste source being referred to. If you are uncertain about this association, number one is in the front and number two is in the ‘rear’.
2. Stinky – The unpleasant smell which accompanies “number two” is often the first indication that a baby’s diaper needs changing, therefore, the tag ‘stinky diaper’ is often used in reference. If it was just ‘stinky’, it wouldn’t be so bad, but there’s more to it than the smell.
3. Messy – This is the part that the term ‘stinky diaper’ leaves out. A stinky diaper is generally, also, a ‘messy diaper’. It means that you also need to get out the package of diaper wipes to facilitate the cleanup before putting a fresh diaper on the baby.
4. Doo-doo – I’m not sure where this duet originated from, but it is heard from time to time in nurseries and daycare centers.
5. Package – A ‘package’ has been delivered and it’s neatly wrapped up inside the baby’s diaper. All it takes is a little sniff, and, yep, we have a package, alright.
6. Poopie – ‘Did the baby go poopie?’ This one seems to be used more by children than by adults, but I’m sure that the children learned it from adults, so we’ll classify it as trans-generational.
7. Yucky – This term throws the stinky and messy terms together and just calls it what it is, ‘yucky’. Every mom has changed her share of ‘yucky’ diapers.
8. Fresh dollars – It is believed that this term dates back to when dollars were still minted coins rather than pieces of paper. Did coins come out of a ‘slot in the back’ of a machine back then?
9. Toots – ‘Peeeyuuuu, smells like the baby has a diaper-load of toots.’ This nickname may actually be a shortened version of another one, ‘tootsie rolls’. Obviously, the name is coming from the visual similarity to those soft, brown chunks of chewy chocolate that we’ve all eaten as kids. (Just lost your appetite for those, didn’t you?)
10. Ka-ka – Also spelled, caca, has a French origin, meaning excrement. The root actually goes further back into the latin term for defecate, caco. You will find similar sounding terms used in most languages with a latin base. If a Frenchman ever tells you that you’re ‘full of caca’, you’ll know exactly what he means, won’t you?

With this little vocabulary lesson, you will now be able to converse on the subject of ‘soiled diapers’ with a much greater pool of terms to choose from. Won’t the other nannies and moms be impressed?

10 Tips for Checking Your Sitter’s References

November 8th, 2011 by admin

It is always important to ask for references before hiring a newer babysitter for your children. When you make the phone calls to check the sitter’s references, there are several areas that you should cover when speaking to these individuals to make sure you have a clear picture of the type of sitter this person would be for our children. Here are some tips regarding the topics you should cover.

1. Frequency – Make sure and ask how many times, or how frequently, the sitter worked with each reference. If they only used the sitter once, be sure to ask if there was any reason they had not used her since that one time.
2. Ages – Ask what age the children were that the sitter was caring for when she sat for them. You will want to know whether this sitter has cared for children in your children’s age group before.
3. Time period – What length of time was the sitter caring for the references children? Was it all day, just a couple of hours or an evening out?
4. Responsibilities – How many children were in the sitter’s care when she sat for this reference? That can be an important factor, if you have several siblings for the sitter to care for. Did the sitter have the responsibility of putting the children to bed or feeding them?
5. Reliability – Ask if they had any trouble with the sitter canceling at the last moment or being ready on time for her babysitting assignments.
6. Maturity – Ask about the references opinion of the babysitter’s maturity level. Did they seem to be able to command the respect of the children? Were they comfortable staying alone with the children without an adult present?
7. Payment – Asking what others have paid this babysitter for her services to gain an idea of what she or he may be expecting for pay.
8. Positive feedback – Make sure and ask what this person saw as the sitter’s strong points as a babysitter. This will help you determine if the sitter is a good fit for your family.
9. Issues or concerns? – This is a very important question to ask before you end your conversation with the reference, just in case there was something that didn’t come to their mind earlier in your conversation. An open-ended question regarding any possible issues or concerns provides that extra opportunity to share about topics you might not have specifically asked about.
10. Children’s response – Last, but not least, ask the references about how their children responded to the babysitter. Did they enjoy being with her? Were they sad to see her go and excited to have her return again?

Being thorough in your reference checks on babysitters is important. You should never feel that you are being too cautious, when it comes to the care of your children.