Tips for Babysitting Small Children
Today I want to give you a few babysitting tips! My hope in sharing these tips is to inspire your creativity so that both you and the little ones that you babysit will enjoy your time together!
Though I am the youngest in my family and never had a designated job babysitting while growing up, I have lived close to nephews and nieces for the the past sixteen or so years. In that time I have had the opportunity to witness many people working with small children! I’ve seen an impressive number of situations and witnessed how they were resolved with love and care.
If you are going to be a child, be a good one! – my motto for the littles I babysit! 😉
It never ceases to amaze me the number of personalities and opinions that children can exhibit. Now I do realize that this shouldn’t surprise me, since they are in effect small people, yet it can still astound me!
Rather interestingly, I rarely babysit fewer than several children at a time (most of my siblings have four or more children) so order and cooperation is key to my babysitting success. If I let two or three get away with whatever they want, then chaos will most likely ensue. Thus, in order to maintain happiness and good times I like to keep things calm, but fun. Happy, yet not crazy!
And quite honestly, when littles get crazy they usually get hurt (and objects often get broken!). Not a desirable babysitting environment!
Babysitting Tip #1: Be Kind, Yet Firm
When dealing with littles, be sure to speak and act kindly – soft tones, kind words, and encouraging suggestions. Many children will respond well to this, but others will not. Sometimes a firm tone is necessary – just be sure to follow-up with kind words once the goal is accomplished.
While babysitting I often find it necessary to tell the children not to do something that I perceive as potentially dangerous. This might be crawling on top of the monkey bars, playing too near a fire or wrestling too aggressively. Though some children will listen and go about their play, others might balk and tell me “but Daddy and Mama let us”. “And that is just fine if your Daddy and Mama let you,” I will respond, “just as soon as they get back feel free to do it some more. Just while they are away, please stop.”
Quite honestly, I cannot afford to let anyone get hurt on my watch. I do not want the responsibility of loading everyone up to take a ride to the emergency room to take care of a hurt nephew or niece. Be firm in order to keep the little loves safe.
Babysitting Tip #2: What to do if They Don’t Listen
Wouldn’t we all love a magical answer to this – both parents and babysitters alike! But in all reality, that is not how it works. If you spend much time babysitting, you will encounter some difficult children. But on the flip side, you will come across little angels too!
Keep in mind, you are not the parent of this child (if you are babysitting for another) so be sure to get instructions from the parent of what to do if you can’t get the little one to behave. This might include taking away movie privileges, calling the parents, or having the child wait on his bed for his parents (obviously, if they are only away a few hours – not for days – but surely I don’t need to tell you that!).
Consequences are very important to have in mind and should shift depending on the child’s age. Taking the yellow crayon from a misbehaving two-year-old will not have the same effect on a misbehaving twelve-year-old. Be intelligent to what consequences are necessary.
When a child first misbehaves a firm word will often get them to reconsider. In addition, walking over to the child and placing a hand on their hand or arm and looking into their eyes while firmly encouraging them to straighten up will yield better results than yelling at them over your shoulder from across the room as you watch TV.
Babysitting Tip #3: How to Handle Tantrums
I can’t stand to hear a child yell or scream (nor do I like to hear it from an adult!).
Self control should be taught early on so that it can become a habit and way of life. Simply, tell the little one to “stop” or to “hush” (again, I recommend having a hand on them – I like to think the contact is calming). And give them a chance to exhale and inhale to see if they are calming down. If not, repeat the simple command. This simple reminder truly works wonders!
Some people try to love on the child throwing the fit or get absolutely distraught trying to understand the children through the fit. This frustrates me! “Train them to control themselves,” I want to say! But in all fairness, I’m not a parent – I’m only a babysitter. This is not my post grading parents parenting techniques, but rather sharing with other babysitters some techniques that have worked for me.
If the child is not obviously hurt (blood, broken bones or pinched fingers), than they really ought to calm down so that they can talk to you. Pay attention to children’s tones and cries – you can often tell a hurt cry from a naughty cry. Encouraging calm is always beneficial – for both you and the little one!
Babysitting Tip #4: End on a Positive Note
To me, the last little bit of time babysitting is some of the most important time! I want to be sure to end it on the most positive note possible!
If I have had to take one of the more firm measures as provided by the parent or that I determined on my own, I like to revisit the situation with the child. “Do you understand x, y, and z?” I will ask them. (Perhaps they wouldn’t quit kicking their sibling, or wouldn’t quit screaming and pitching fits.) Again, I like to have contact (both hand and eye) on the little I’m talking to. I want to be sure I have their attention – and I want them to know they have mine too!
If I am satisfied that the little one is ready to try to behave again, I am all too happy to have them get off their bed or return to their game!
My goal for when the parents return is for them to find their littles behaving and happy! It is one of my largest goals to have nobody suffering “until Daddy and Mama get home” consequences. If I can navigate the few hours of babysitting successfully and proactively, we can typically avoid that!
In addition, if all happenings were able to be ironed out I do not greet the parents with a list of who behaved and who didn’t. If reconciliations were made to my satisfaction, I don’t believe a report is necessary! (Of course, if the parents want details then I will definitely give them a detailed report! I believe this has happened about once in the last sixteen years!)
And doesn’t that make for a nicer experience together next time – and the time after that?! That is the kind of babysitter I would want babysitting my little loves! One that requires good behavior, but that can also creatively get results!
More, Please!
I hope these ideas have inspired you and given you ideas of how to creatively handle the children you babysit! Babysitting can be a fun time when approached with enthusiasm and a good plan!
Would you enjoy reading more ideas and tips on babysitting? Or perhaps you have some suggestions to share? I’d love to hear them – leave a comment below!
Until Next Time!
Hope.
PS. People are so important and God put them in our lives for very specific purposes! You ought to go read the post I wrote about Relationships – I hope it inspires you to better appreciate the relationships in your life! ♥ https://www.theamericanlady.com/2017/08/30/increasing-value-relationships/