Being the best babysitter is just not about getting a kid to like you, it also about proving to parents that you can care for their child.
Babysitting requires skills in creativity, adventure, and play. It also requires patience, training, and understanding. Before understanding how to be a good babysitter, it is necessary to know about what traits should the baby sitters have. All these below traits help in, how to be a good babysitter.
Character Traits – How To Be A Good Babysitter
Baby Sitter Traits
When it comes to caring for kids, having these traits help you on the job. Babysitters and nannies must love the kids.
1. Playful
Parents want a babysitter, with a good imagination who can create activities, crafts, and games. They do not want the babysitters to sit clumsily down in front of the TV. A playful personality in a babysitter reflects your qualities, that you genuinely care about fostering a healthy, active and fun environment for their kids.
2. Active
Kids are always on high energy and are constantly on the go. A babysitter needs to match that energy and come prepared for the day.
3. Responsible
Every parent wishes for a reliable babysitter. Parents need a babysitter, on whom they can depend on, someone who is capable of responsibly caring for their children, someone whom they can trust.
4. Experience
Babysitting takes preparation, skill, and confidence. Through babysitting experience, you gain the skills you need and parents will need babysitters who know to think of, when any unplanned circumstances arise, manage arguments over toys and games, and stay calm when a child is injured or upset.
Experiencing real-life situations, allows you to learn to make the best decisions, where your skills are challenged. Consider getting the experience you need by giving a helping hand to the mother.
5. Negotiable
Generally, parents appreciate someone who is negotiable. Being negotiable includes a number of things like being flexible about pay rates, schedules, delayed nights at times.
As a babysitter, understand that plans change sometimes, and you should be easy-going about the nights that run later than expected.
6. Teacher
Babysitters, like teachers, need to engage children, act as role models, and show concern in a constructive manner. Help the child with the homework. You can show parents you care about their kid’s performance in school; help them work through their issues with teammates, classmates or friends. Show parents, that you are compassionate about their kid’s feelings.
7. Sensitive
As a babysitter, you should do whatever makes the children happy.
8. Trustworthy
One of the most important traits that a babysitter can have, is being trustworthy. Parents, usually, expect a babysitter to follow the rules of the household, pay attention to their kids, and keep the children safe. As babysitting is not a time for socializing, parents do not want a babysitter texting or inviting friends over to the house.
9. On Time
A babysitter should be very punctual and be on time. Make sure to inform the family members in advance, if you are unable to work on a regularly scheduled night, or if you are running late. Being able to control a situation, gives confidence to the family, that you will be equally responsible with their kids.
10. Patient
Another important trait for a babysitter to have is patience. The babysitters need to practice patience with children. Be patient, and continue to give gentle reminders as necessary.
11. Authoritative
Babysitting is not all about fun and games. It is the job of the babysitter to enforce the rules, which parents have set for the kids. Such limitations include brushing teeth before bed, no watching television.
Be gentle and kind. It is also important for the babysitter to talk about discipline with the family and learn how to handle bad behavior of the kids, the way the parents would want.
12. Similar Interests
A babysitter who shares similar interests with the kids can make the job more enjoyable for everyone. List your interests and skills, when you post ads for babysitting.
13. Skilled
A babysitter should have certain qualifications, such as a First Aid and CPR certification, and learn other important babysitting skills. Most families, nowadays, expect a babysitter to have these basic certifications. A babysitter should be ready to help when an emergency situation arises.
14. Tenacious
A babysitter should never give up, no matter what the situation is. You should have the skills to prepare the child for any hard time situations.
Tips to Keep a Good Babysitter
1. Treat your babysitter with respect and kindness, as they have an incredible responsibility of taking care of your child in your absence. Do not view it as a boss-employee relationship. View them as a part of your family member.
2. Get to know them personally. Develop a friendship with them. Take your little amount of time, to ask them how they are doing. Always take time to talk with them at the beginning or the end of the job. Having this kind of relationship will help you have a deeper level of trust. So, you do not have to worry, when you are out.
3. Set expectations. Make sure you communicate what you expect them to do in a polite way. Review the babysitter about, alternate emergency contacts, bedtime routines, food schedules, appropriate activities, snacks and discipline; tips on calming the child if they cry, and cleanup expectations.
4. Be approachable to them. Ask them how the kids behaved while you were away from the house and accept the response they give you. If they say, they had troubles with the child, do not get defensive. Instead, ask questions, in order for your child and babysitter to have a good, long-lasting relationship.
Your babysitter needs to understand your child’s behaviors. Be honest about the good, bad and ugly behaviors of your child.
5. Do not expect them to do a better job than you. If you have trouble in managing your child’s temper tantrums, do not expect the babysitters to do a better job than you. If you cannot always get your child to sleep on time, do not expect the babysitter to have them sleeping, at the exact time you told them.
