Leaving your child in somebody else’s care is not a matter to be taken lightly. Every parent knows their child best and trusting another with the responsibility requires serious deliberation and consideration. To ensure that you don’t miss anything out, you need your babysitter prepped well in regards to your child needs and wants.
What information to leave with a babysitter?
Read below for a complete guide as to what to inform your babysitter before leaving your child in her care
Leaving your child in somebody else’s care is not a matter to be taken lightly. Every parent knows their child best and trusting another with the responsibility requires serious deliberation and consideration. To ensure that you don’t miss anything out, you need your babysitter prepped well in regards to your child needs and wants.
Let’s jot down a checklist for things you want your babysitter to be on the ball about.
- Your contact information
Your babysitter must have all the emergency contacts to reach you or your partner in case of any query or need. You should inform him/ her about your estimated time of getting back and any extra instructions in case you run late. If you’re leaving for someplace where you cannot reach back immediately, do share the contact for any close friends, relatives or neighbors to get to.
- Emergency contact list
Hope for the best but be prepared for the worst. Leave a list of all the important contact numbers should any emergency arise. Instruct your babysitter to call 911 (or your local alternative) even before contacting you, in case of any critical situation like fire etc. Besides that, contact numbers of your family doctor/ dentist, poison control and the nearest local hospital is also important to share. Leave your complete address down to the floor, unit or house number, as the medical personnel, police or fire department would require that to reach your place in time.
- Escape plan
In case of an emergency that requires immediate evacuation, your babysitter needs to know the right route to follow. Plus, also inform her about your first aid kit, fire extinguisher, circuit breaker and water shutoff.
- Medical and Eatables Information
It is very important to mention your kid’s medical information. Be it allergies such as nut or wheat allergies or some sort of special medical instruction, you need to jot down everything for the caretaker to remember. Also mention about the measures to take in case of any physical conditions like nappy rash, colic pains or food throw-up. It’s not just about your child’s food preferences by health but also about their likes and dislikes. Apart from medical conditions and food items, also keep track of your kid’s eating schedules and let the caretaker know of all such information down to each detail. This will provide her a proper guidance as to how to keep your kid well-nourished while you’re away.
- Activities
You know best what puts your baby to bed. The activities your child enjoys are very important to be mentioned to your babysitter so that he/she may be equipped with ideas to keep the little ones entertained. Whether it’s their favorite books they like you to read or any toys they cherish most, best to inform your babysitter about all the tiny details. You never know what might save the hour.
Make sure you check this list before leaving your kids in somebody else’s care so that you might enjoy a carefree trip and also save the caretaker in any fretful situation.