Babysitters Guide
Before You Accept
| Be
Professional |
Write It Down
When You
Arrive |
Ask To Be Sure
| While
You're There
In Case Of
Fire |
Avoid Accidents
| You're A
Guest |
When The Parents Return
Before you Accept:
|
- Know your employer.
Don't accept the job if you don't know the
person calling. Find out who recommended you
for the job.
- Check with your parents
and see if they know the family. Ask for the
person's phone number and call back after
you've checked.
|
Be Professional:
|
Babysitting is a job. Be
businesslike and explain the days and hours you
are available. How much experience you've had
(older children, infants, etc.). What you
charger per hour. Try to arrange a visit to the
home to meet the parents an children. Make
arrangements for transportation to and from the
job. Even if it's only a short walk from your
home, and adult escort might be a good idea.
Determine at the outset exactly what you will
be doing to earn your fee. Will your duties go
beyond babysitting and into household chores? |
Write it Down:
|
- Parent's name, phone
number and address.
- Number of children,
their names and ages.
- Time of arrival at job
and estimated length of stay.
- Leave your parents a
note with eh name, address and telephone
number of the family for whom you'll be
babysitting and the time you expect to be
home
|
When you Arrive:
|
- Where will the
parents be? Get the phone numbers of
theaters, restaurants or friends the
parents will be visiting. What time
do they expect to return.
- Ask for the name
and phone number of both the family
doctor and a neighbor or friend. You
should also have emergency phone
numbers for the police, fire
department, and poison control
center.
- Ask instructions
on handling incoming phone calls.
For maximum security, you should
never tell a caller that you're home
alone with the children. Explain to
the caller that there is an adult at
home but they are unable to come to
the phone. Then, ask if you can take
a message and phone number
- Be sure doors
and windows are locked and ask which
lights should be left on if you're
to stay late at night.
-
Is there a
fire escape,a fire extinguisher or
second exit?
|
|
Ask to be Sure:
|
- What time is bedtime?
- Are children allowed to
use the television, radio, etc?
- Find out about diapers,
bottles, meals, snacks, homework, and
whether or not friends of the children are
allowed to visit.
|
While You're There:
|
- Never open the door to
strangers.
- Check and lock doors and
windows.
- Be aware of strange
noises, prowlers at the windows, or unusual
phone calls.
- If the child is taking
some type of medication, determine when the
last dosage was and what time the next
dosage is to be administered.
-
If you take the
children outside,
never
talk to strangers. Be
extra careful near swimming pools, roads,
and animals that you are not familiar with.
|
In Case of Fire:
|
- Evacuate the house in
the same fashion as if you were at your own.
Stay low to the ground and make sure that
there is no fire on the opposite side of a
door before opening it. Once you and the
children are out of the house, go to a
neighbors and call the fire department.
|
Avoid Accidents:
|
- Pick up toys or other
objects on stairs or in passageways.
- Know the location of
medicines, cleaners and electrical outlets
and keep children away from them.
|
You're a Guest:
|
- Don't tie up the
telephone with calls to your friends, the
parents could be attempting to reach you.
- Don't allow your friends
to visit.
- Stay out of closets,
desks, drawers and other personal spaces.
- Enjoy only the snacks
you've been offered.
|
When Parents Return:
|
- Tell the parents any
problems encountered while babysitting, be
it with the child or otherwise.
- Give the parents all
messages taken.
- If you feel
uncomfortable with the person who is taking
you home, call your own parents to make new
arrangements.
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