Nervous about hiring your first babysitter? Not quite sure what you should do to prepare him or her—and yourself—for the event? Keep these suggestions in mind:
• If possible, set up an introductory meeting before your babysitter actually watches your kids. Introduce him/her to your children; see how they interact and whether they seem comfortable. Also introduce the family dog to your sitter to test the same comfort zone.
• Do a quick tour around the house, pointing out key areas such as cabinets or drawers where baby/children’s items are located. Also show locations of telephones, and remember to warn the sitter of any special locks or windows that cannot be used for escape in case of an emergency.
• Have the following information written down and accessible in the event of an emergency: family name; children’s names; house address with nearest cross street; instructions on how to contact the parents; phone numbers of close relatives and neighbors; doctor’s name and phone number, along with a medical release.
• Write down any instructions about medicines to be given to the children—how much and what time.
• Give explicit instructions if a pet needs to be fed and/or taken out before bedtime,
• Let the sitter know whether or not children can have anything to eat or drink before bed.
• Generally, if you plan on being gone for more than four or five hours, phone home once to check in on the sitter and children.
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