Baking is an activity that is a common favorite of younger babysitters. Although cooking and baking can be a lot of fun, when you are babysitting you need to get permission from the parents if you are planning on using the oven and/or their ingredients to create something in the kitchen. If the parents say it is alright for you to bake, make sure that you:
- use a recipe and actually create something edible - do not just pour different ingredients into a bowl for the fun of it.
- clean up everything. This includes washing bowls, pots and pans, utensils, and measuring cups & spoons. Also remember to wash off the counter, table, and any other surfaces you were working on. And, don't forget to sweep the floor to remove any crumbs or food debris that may have fallen.
- use extra caution with the children around. Small children get excited when they are helping to bake treats and can reach for a hot pan with their bare hands, or dip their fingers in a bowl of batter while the electric mixer is still mixing it.
One last point to remember is that just because you (and the children) baked the item, doesn't mean that you eat it all or take it home. If you used your client's ingredients, leave the food behind. If you brought all the ingredients it's ok to take it home with you but it would be nice to leave some for the family since you did use their pans and oven to bake it.
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Even when mom and dad tell you (the babysitter) to call if you have ANY questions, try to refrain from calling unless it is absolutely necessary. Bring a pre-written list of questions or at least a notebook and pencil and get as much information as you can from parents before they leave so that you don't have to bother them once they are out.
When parents leave a babysitter or other child care provider in charge of their children to go out and have a good time, they are hoping to leave any kid related issues at home. Calling parents while they are out to ask if Sara can have ice cream for a snack, if Joey can watch and extra half hour of tv, or if Emily can bring her new dolly in the tub, is not necessary. Calling parents to say Johnny fell and cut his chin and you think he might need stitches, or should I be giving Caitlin her medicine before bed because she said you forgot, is necessary.
Use your best judgement. If you aren't sure what to do in a situation that has to do with a snack or privlege, don't allow it but explain to the child that you will ask his or her parents about it when they get home and if they say it will be ok, then next time you babysit, you will allow it.
Get as much information as you can before the parents leave and your babysitting experience will go a lot smoother.
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It is so easy to fall into the trap of letting the television babysit the kids, but it is not a good idea. Television isn't all bad. There are many great educational programs for kids and adults alike. But, too much of anything isn't good. Also, children become hypnotized by the tv and sit for hours in front of it. Usually it is not educational programming that they are watching, but even when it is, the child is still stationary and getting zero exercise! With obesity on the rise, limiting time spent is front of the tv is very important.
When you babysit for a new family, be sure to ask about television restrictions. Some parents may say no tv viewing is allowed. Some may allow only certain shows, while still others don't mind how much their kids watch. Even in a home where the parents don't mind extended tv viewing, you should try to avoid it by offering to play games with the children, read to them, or go for a walk. After all, you are getting paid to care for the children, not to sit around doing nothing until the parents get home.
If the children are allowed to watch even a few shows and reject your attempts to do something else, then watch with them and discuss what's happening to make it interactive. After the show, do some activities associated with the show. For instance, if the show talked about the number five, then have a snack associated with the number five such as a piece of celery with five drops of peanut butter on it. Use blocks and put different shapes in groups of five and see which group can make the tallest tower.
If the show involves two friends that had a fight and then made up, you could have the child come up with other solutions to their problem. Try having the children draw the friends making up or doing something fun together. Have them put on a play recreating the tv show and act out what happened and how it was resolved.
Anything you can do to avoid having the tv just be a box that the children stare at for hours is helpful. Watch television sparingly and create activities for the kids when they do watch it. Televisions don't make great babysitters, great people do!
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