We’ve all babysat at some point in our lives and those of us who haven’t have heard those cringy or funny stories from a friend or family member. Babysitting can be a lot of things. It can be fun, scary, crazy, hectic and so many other things. While babysitting I have learned a few rules that will help out when dealing with the kids.
Rule #1:Always pay attention to what the kids are playing with.
They have super powers that let them grab things they should not. If you do not pay attention, it takes only a second between everything is fine to oh no! what a catastrophe!.
Rule #2: Never leave your phone, keys or any important item lying around.
Closely related to the first rule, if you give them the opportunity to grab these items, be prepared to lose your items for hours, days or forever.
Rule #3: Movies and cartoons will forever be your best friend.
At some point, they will bring the Frozen dvd to you so you can play it. Or they might even know how to work the DVD. And then, you will be watching Frozen twice a day. And you will get tired of watching Frozen twice a day. This is a fact. However, Frozen or any other movie that tickles their imaginations and holds their attention will be your only way of having a few minutes maybe hours to do other things.So enjoy it!
Rule #4: Always have snacks.
Kids seem so little but the eat so much. Everything is either I want food or I want something to drink or the classic I’m hungry again. Snacks will help you avoid getting eaten by those little rascals.
Rule #5: Ignore the tantrums or they will get worse.
Tantrums will most likely be a normal occurrence, if you pay attention to every one of them, they will escalate and happen 24/7. Most of the time, if you ignore the tantrums, they’ll only last a few minutes. Trust me a few minutes is way better than a 30 minute or longer tantrum.
Rule #6: Minor falls where there is no blood are not necessarily a big deal.
Children are made of bouncy material. Don’t make a big deal or you will have him/her crying for a LONG time. Kids tend to exaggerate if you give them the opportunity; as long as the child you were babysitting isn’t bleeding or didn’t have a major fall, he/she will most likely be alright. The important thing is to keep calm and make sure that the necessary first aid is done but do not get agitated. You are going to make the child more anxious and more crying will ensue. Monitor them for an hour or two after the fall.
Rule #7: I consider this rule the most important. Do not –and I repeat– do not laugh when you are scolding them for something they did or they will never take you seriously.
Kids do or say the funniest things sometimes but even though the things they say or do (example: Kid running around the house naked while you’re telling him or her to go take a shower) might want to make you laugh like crazy if you don’t give them the serious face when scolding them. They will never take you seriously and will consider things a joke.
Following these simple rules can help you a lot while babysitting the munchkins. Trust me, I know. Try them out and see how it goes, you either succeed or go crazy trying.
Tell us about your experiences with babysitting and give us helpful rules or tips. Share your knowledge and wisdom, please!