Please check out my new blog at http://babysittingworld.com/bswblog/ . I apologize in advance if some of the content sounds familiar, but it is an all new blog with new readers, so I need to cover all the important topics!
Thanks!
Lisa McLellan
04/03/2009
03/14/2009
The Countdown's On
Children like routines and knowing what is happening next in their lives. Even though a child may know his bedtime is 8:00 p.m. he might still try to make deals, beg & plead, or even throw a fit to stay up longer. Giving a child a warning or two that bedtime is drawing near helps to prevent some of the resistance.
If you do give warnings, make sure that the amount of time left between the warning and the actual bedtime is understandable for the child's age. Though a small child might not really comprehend how long two minutes is, he will be more cooperative with a two minute warning than if you tell him he has to go to bed in a half an hour, then after the half hour you try to put him right to bed. Since most small children have a short attention span, a half hour warning will be long forgotten in 10 minutes and will do almost nothing to prepare the child to transition smoothly.
Every child is different, but most respond well to either a 10 minute warning and then a 5 minute warning, or a 5 minute and then a 2 minute warning. If you keep your warning times consistent and actually follow through when you say it is bedtime or time to leave a playdate etc., then you will probably experience less resistance than you would with random warnings or no warnings at all.
Lisa McLellan
03/10/2009
Little Things That Help a Lot!
Nannies, au-pairs, and sometimes even babysitters can often spend long hours with the children they care for. So, many times they might finish off a box of cereal, use the rest of the diaper wipes, use the last diaper, run out of milk or formula etc. It would be really helpful for the parents if the child care provider could just jot down a list throughout the day of any food or supplies that are running low or have completely run out. If the parents get home at 7:00 p.m., they may not have a need for milk until morning, so they won't know it's gone until they need it. This is very frustrating.
Also, if the child has soiled or stained his clothes, the babysitter should let the parents know. The sooner the mess or stain is treated, the easier it will be to clean. And, if the child soils his clothes and the childcare provider just rolls them into a ball and tosses them into the hamper, the smell can be so overpowering by the time the parents do laundry that you can almost guarentee they will be more than a little upset about it. Many stains that are left on clothing for several hours or more can set and become permanent. If the nanny, au-pair or babysitter doesn't know what to do with stained clothing, she should at least report it to the parents so they can take care of it before it's a bigger problem.
These are just a couple of little things that would be greatly appreciated by the parents if the childcare provider just takes a few seconds to let them know,
Lisa McLellan
03/07/2009
Know Your Limits
Pretty much all of us want to make money. Some want to make it by illegal means, by sueing others, or by hitting the lottery. But, most of us want or at least plan to earn our money by working. Sometimes people will babysit for others as a favor, but most often babysitters take on child care jobs to make money.
If you are in the childcare field, it is important that you like what you do. In order to continue to enjoy taking care of children, you have to know your limits. Larger numbers of children and younger children can definitely be alot more work. If you are fine with caring for 4-6 children at a time, that's great! But if three seems to be your limit, avoid accepting jobs with more kids just to make more money. When you do this, you soon become burnt out and begin disliking your job, and possibly resenting the children, or even unintentionally taking your frustrations out on them. You could lose patience much more easily and also become more restricted in your activities. It is much easier to take 2 or 3 children to the playground than 6.
When infants are included in your group of charges, once again everything can be more difficult. You may have to wait for the baby to nap to play with the other children or prepare snacks or meals for them. And if the baby decides she's not going to nap that day, you may be in for a rough ride. Some people are very skilled at handling multiple children of different ages at the same time, but if you aren't one of them, know your limits. By taking on only babysitting jobs that you know you can handle, both you and the children will have a much more enjoyable experience.
02/14/2009
Nannies and Babysitters Remember....
To all of the wonderful nannies and babysitters out there, though you may love the children you care for, and engage them all day long, remember that their parents who have been working hard all day too will want to enjoy pleasant homecomings. Try to have toys picked up, faces and hands clean, and only light snacks late in the afternoon.
You don't need to be the "maid" unless housekeeping is part of your agreed upon duties. But, you should get the children to help if they are old enough, and pick up the toys shortly before the parents are due to arrive home. It is frustrating for parents to come home to a mess after they have put in a full day at work.
Next, if the children have been playing outside, finger painting, or getting themselves dirty or messy any other way, try to have their faces and hands washed before mom and dad come through the door. When parents are separated from their children all day long, many of them can't wait to get home and give their kids a great big hug and kiss. The parents will certainly appreciate not having to wash paint, dirt, etc. off their children's hands and faces before being able to hug and kiss them.
Finally, be considerate of meal times even if you won't be there. Find out what time the family usually eats dinner. If it is relatively soon after you leave, then be sure to only allow light snacks late in the afternoon. Being thoughtful and considerate of homecoming time each day will only make the parents appreciate you more!
02/07/2009
Abra Cadabra Swaddle
Picture a baby inside its mother's belly shortly before it is born. Inside the womb it is dark, warm, and there is very little room to move around. The baby is all curled up, snug and comfortable in its little home. Is there any wonder why a newborn would love to be swaddled? Not all do, but the vast majority will love it. When an infant is wrapped snugly in a blanket, it helps her to feel safe and secure just like she did in her mother's belly.
Most infants experience the moro or startle reflex when they hear a loud noise, which causes them to extend their arms, legs, and neck then quickly retract them and start to cry. Some exhibit the startle reflex even in their sleep (without the crying portion). Swaddling also helps to prevent the flailing arms and legs when the newborn experiences the startle reflex and makes them feel more safe. Some babies seem to experience the startle reflex more in their sleep when they are put to bed on their backs. Since this is the recommended position for sleep for infants these days, swaddling them at bedtime may help them to sleep better as well.
Swaddling can be done with regular receiving blankets, or more securely with special swaddling blankets. Whichever you prefer is fine, but give swaddling a try
01/30/2009
Buying Pets for Children
Before you give in to a child's plea for a puppy, hamster, rabbit, kitten, etc., give it some serious thought. Realize that no matter how sincerely the child promises that she will clean the cage, feed it, walk it, or tend to any of it's other needs, there is a 99.9999999999....% chance that as soon as the novelty wears off, she's not going to do any of it unless she's forced to.
Children don't mean to make those promises and then break them, but caring for pets is usually a lot harder than it looks. Even playing with the pet can become a chore.
Time and time again I hear people say that their rabbit, bird or hamster "turned vicious." Most often a pet "turns vicious" because it becomes neglected. Animals that live in cages need to be taken out often. This is especially true with rabbits. Rabbits are actually much more intelligent than most people think. They need stimulation every day. simply taking the rabbit out of its cage and holding it for a few minutes isn't enough. They need to run around and explore a little.
If you are considering getting a pet for your child, remember that the pet will more than likely become your responsibility in a very short amount of time. If you aren't interested in cleaning the hamster cage or taking out the bunny daily, then do yourself and the animal a favor and don't get it for your child.
Lisa McLellan
01/26/2009
Sharing 101
Whether you are a parent, guardian, teacher, babysitter, or other child care provider, you will probably be trying to teach a child about sharing at some point. It is hard for small children to grasp the concept of sharing so when you witness a child sharing on his own be sure to offer generous praise.
While sharing is important for children to learn, they shouldn't be forced to share everything. After all, even adults don't always want to share everything. Suppose you just bought a brand new $80,000.00 car, you may be hesitant to share it with your neighbor. Before a playdate in your home, allow your child or the one your caring for, to put away a couple of special things that he doesn't have to share. Of course if he starts jamming every toy in the playroom into his closet then you need to explain what "a couple of things" means!
To assist children in learning to share try these tips:
- Make available activities that more than one child can do at a time, such as paper and crayons, puzzles, clay, or multi-player board games.
- Explain sharing by using examples of the child himself and his toys, a friend and her toys, how the situation is turned around when he plays at someone else's house, mention times friends shared things with him etc. The concept will be more easily understood if you can illustrate it by using examples.
- Set a timer when two children are fighting over one toy. Let each child have a few minutes with the toy and then they need to let the other child have a turn.
- Try having children trade toys that they are using so each shares a toy with the other and nobody is left empty handed.
- Model the behavior. Point out when you are sharing something with your toddler. For example "These are Mommy's crackers but mommy will share them with you."
- Finally, if all else fails, take the toy away until the children can agree to take turns or share.
01/11/2009
Read, Read, and Read Some More
Babysitters or Nannies who spend long hours with the children are often looking for fun, interesting, or exciting ways to pass some time. Board games are great and often take a while to play. Going to the playground or on a hike is fun an gets the kids moving. But don't forget about reading! Children of all ages love stories. Take a trip to the local library with the kids or just bring some books from home. You might even want to purchase some very inexpensive gently used books from a yardsale specifically to take with you babysitting.
Learning to read is vitally important for children and reading to them is a step in the right direction. Parents and caregivers alike: Let children see you reading. Read signs when you go for walks. Leave children's books on low shelves where children can help themselves. When you read to very young children and toddlers, keep it interactive and ask them to point out certain items on the page. If a child is learning to recognize letters, you could ask him to find a particular letter on that page. Have preschoolers play dress up and act out short stories or nursery rhymes. Make an alphabet book using pictures and letters cut from old magazines or used greeting cards. There are so many ways to promote reading.
Babysitter Tips, Jobs, and Classes
01/09/2009
Want to know about one of the best kept secrets in your neighborhood
Check out your local library to see if they have a "pass plan." Many local libraries have a set of passes that allow you to get into museums and educational attractions in your area for greatly reduced rates or even free! For babysitters and nannies, this is a great way to spend time with the children and won't cost the parents a fortune. For parents, it is a great way to spend quality time with your kids while they have fun learning!
For example, a friend of mine and I took my 2 children to an educational attraction last summer that would have cost $74.00 for the four of us, but with the library pass it was only $20.00. We also went to a children's museum that would have cost $42.00 for the four of us and with the library pass it was only $8.00 total! Even if you don't have children, it's great for something to do with a friend or it is also nice for when you have out of town guests visiting and you'd like to show them some local sites. Check out your library today!
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