Having a night to yourself as a busy parent is amazing, but it’s also nerve-racking! Leaving your kids with a sitter will always induce some form of anxiety. But there are some steps you can take to alleviate your worries.
These essential safety reminders for babysitters can help ease your mind and allow you to enjoy your night out!
Relevant Information
Before you head out, be sure to leave a list of relevant contact information for your sitter. You might think that giving them your cell number is enough, but there are other numbers and information to include, such as:
- Your cell number
- The numbers of neighbors or closest relatives
- Phone numbers for poison hotlines
- Contact information for your pediatrician
- Allergies to food and medication
- Location of first aid supplies and flashlights in case of a power outage
- Instructions on how to give medication, if your children are taking anything
- Closest intersection and directions to the home for medical personnel if an emergency happens
Situations
It might feel nitpicky, but it’s okay to talk to the sitter about how they would handle dangerous situations with your kids. It’s best to do this before hiring them, but you can reiterate the following points when they arrive:
- Never leave the children alone in the bathtub, not even for a moment.
- Point out all the exits and fire extinguishers in case there’s a fire and, if you live in a rural area, give them directions to the nearest neighbor’s house.
- If the sitter is inexperienced, you can also remind them of basic fire safety: stay close to the ground, don’t open a door if the knob is hot, and not go back in the house.
- Reiterate any choking hazards.
- If your child has a severe allergy, instruct the sitter on how to administer an Epi-Pen shot or how many antihistamines your child can take.
- Before hiring a sitter, make sure they know how to administer basic first aid and perform CPR.
Also, be sure to remind your sitter to keep all chemical cleaners properly stored and out of reach of the children.
House Rules
For added peace of mind and to preserve the sitter’s sanity, go over the house rules with them. Inform them about bedtimes, what the kids can and can’t watch, and what to do if the child doesn’t listen.
Communicating the essential safety reminders for babysitters to them beforehand will give everyone a sense of security!
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