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Babysitting tips!

Babysitters can get swept away in the tide of events and end up forgetting to ask something vital. Using a babysitting checklist is a good aid in remembering all the things to ask or know. Some of these are vital health and safety concerns, whereas others are there to ease your mind or make babysitting more fun. Feel free to add or remove items to this checklist, there may be special rules or circumstances

Contact Numbers
It is absolutely essential to have all the important contact numbers. Make sure mobile numbers for the parents, as well as the phone for where you are babysitting are all written down in a convenient place. Always ensure to have a backup contact number for a relative who lives close in case the parents can not be gotton hold of.

The Babysitting Address
Make sure you have the address of where you will be babysitting. Although many modern call centers will instantly have the address from which a call is made, this will not be the case for everyone for whom you might wish to call for service (if only for pizza). Emergency services may also ask the name of the closest major road or intersection to help them should they have difficulty finding the address.

Know the Neighbors
Ask the child’s parents for a neighbor's details so they can help you in an emergency. The parents should make certain that the neighbor will be in when you are babysitting, but remind them. Having people nearby that can help should something go wrong is very important. Make sure you only go to these neighbors, as you don’t know what the other people who live nearby are like at all, and knocking on a strangers door is never a good idea so be careful.

Allergies
Check if the children have any allergies and, of course, avoid at all costs. Some allergies can be life threatening; so always be careful. Ask if there is anything you should do if a child comes into contact with an allergen, as you should always be prepared.

Medical Conditions
You should never give drugs to a child unless explicitly asked to by the child’s parents. If a child feels unwell, seems to be developing a cold or flu, and you think they might need a pain reliever, then phone the parents to make sure you are allowed to do so - even if the child tells you its fine. Ask the parents if the children are unable to have certain medical treatments or drugs, such as penicillin as medical personal will need to know this information instantly in an emergency.

Other Stuff
You will also want to know bedtimes, allowed snacks, allowed games and activities, and any rules governing behavior and misbehavior. Many children have a bedtime ritual, knowing this ritual will go a long way to keeping them comfortable and happy. Finally, you will want to know where the parents are going and when they are expected to return.

This babysitting checklist should ensure that you are always prepared an emergency and equipped with the knowledge to calmly deal with a situation should it arise.


http://www.babysittingtips.net

Cute Babies - Click here for another funny movie.

5 Common Babysitting Blunders...

1. Not paying your new babysitter for the few extra hours she spent beforehand getting to know your baby and her routine, says Kerstin Potter, director of the early-childhood education program at Harcum College, in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.
2. Hiring a friend's child to babysit, and then not outlining your rules and expectations. "Even if it's the daughter of a friend, make sure that you are in agreement about her duties," says Angelina Newbury, babysitting instructor at the Women and Infants Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island.
3. Lingering around instead of cheerfully kissing your little one goodbye and leaving the house. When you get where you're going, call home to check that everything is all right, Potter advises.
4. Not leaving all the phone numbers your new sitter may need. And remember to include all your cell phone numbers.
5. Not giving a small tip to your babysitter when she does a great job. Reliable, caring babysitters are priceless. You want to hold on to the ones you and baby trust.

From Parenting Magazine Online

Hide and seek! more important than you think!

Development

Baby Milestones: Hide-and-Seek

Make this classic game even more enjoyable for your child

By Mindy Berry Walker, Babytalk

You hide a toy behind your back, and your baby peeks around your waist to find it -- it's a simple game that's fun and teaches object permanence, the realization that items still exist even when they can't be seen. Researchers at the University of Washington, in Seattle, found that 9-month-olds could find a toy that was partially hidden under a cloth, and by 10 months, the majority could find a fully hidden toy if sound clues, like a beep, were given. Offer your baby lots of opportunities to seek and -- success! -- find.

Rotate toys. Swap containers of toys every week or so. "Babies stop exploring when they think they know everything that's in the pile," says study author M. Keith Moore. But if your little player hasn't seen those stacking rings for a while, he'll enjoy them -- and learn from them -- that much more.

Resist playing cleanup wizard. "Instead of putting away the toys every night, leave some playthings on the floor where your baby played with them, so he can learn the next day, 'Oh, it's still there,'" says Moore. He'll realize that an object doesn't move unless he does the hefting.

Spice up your peekaboo. Hide a stuffed animal under a blanket and move it all around. Your baby will love watching the toy try to escape, and squeal when it does.

Have a birthday boy or girl? check out these cakes!

http://www.parenting.com/activity-parties-gallery/Activities-Parties/31-Awesome-Birthday-Cake-Designs/3/

Awesome cakes! Step by Step Recipes.

I tried one out myself, a little more challenging then I thought but the outcome is amazing! Any Child would love to help you make these cakes. A great idea for any occasion.

www.yournannyconnection.com

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Finding the right nanny for your family..

Choosing the Right Nanny
Finding the right nanny for your family requires patience and perseverance. Remember that one of the most important factors in choosing a nanny is finding a candidate who is a good match to your family. Evaluating your family’s needs and preferences provides essential information for hiring the right caregiver.

Things to Consider
Does the nanny seem to really love and connect with children?

Does she/he love being a nanny?

Does the nanny communicate well with children?

Does she/he use appropriate language and get down on their eye level?

Do the children respond well to the nanny?

Can the nanny describe clearly a philosophy on discipline?

Is it consistent with your own views?

Is the nanny trained in Infant/Child First Aid and CPR?

Is she/he knowledgeable concerning children’s health issues including common childhood illnesses?

Does the nanny demonstrate an understanding of children’s developmental stages- especially the stages your children are in and are moving toward?

Can the nanny give examples of age appropriate activities that he or she will do with your children?

Do these activities meet the emotional, social, intellectual and physical needs of your children?

Can the nanny outline a typical day’s schedule for you that will meet these needs?

Does the nanny have relevant child care experience?

Will the nanny follow your parenting guidelines? Will you respect and appreciate her professional opinions?

Can the nanny address the safety issues that are involved with caring for your children?

Can the nanny provide the kind of atmosphere you want your children to be in on a daily basis?

Does the nanny have the ability to plan and prepare nutritious, balanced snacks and meals? Is the nanny reliable, responsible, nurturing and professional?

Does the nanny display the kind of maturity needed to do the job you are asking of him/her?

Do you match expectations in regards to salary, hours, job duties and other basics?

Has there been a complete background and employment screening? This should include a criminal background check, driving records check, reference screenings and sexual offender registry searches as well as any other screening you choose.

Have you disclosed all relevant information to the nanny about your family and what you are looking for in a caregiver?

Does the nanny seem comfortable with all that you have shared?

Compatibility

your family’s level of organization and neatness

the level of involvement you need in the children’s schedules

your need for flexibility

both the nanny’s and your family’s need for privacy

sense of humor

communication style

In general - do you feel comfortable with each other?
Trust your instincts. The nanny and family relationship is very complicated. Don’t downplay the importance of good chemistry. Keep searching until you find a candidate that “feels right”.

Limiting Snack Attacks

Children who snack throughout the day tend not to have a balanced diet, so encouraging your child to limit snacks in favor of a main meal is healthy, as well as making mealtimes less stressful.

This sounds great in theory, but if you’ve just emptied your child’s dinner, untouched, into the trash, it’s tempting to fall back on snacks later just so they eat something.

If this sounds familiar, you need to find the middle ground by offering a limited choice of nutritional snacks throughout the day.

How to limit your child’s snacks

• Decorate an empty box or use a kitchen jar. Put the child’s name on it and use multiple boxes or jars if you have more than one child. Leave it somewhere accessible.
• Involve your child in choosing a selection of snacks at the supermarket or bake some of your own.
• Keep the snacks healthy. Children will enjoy the reward ritual of the snack jar as much as the snacks themselves, they don't need to be full of sugar!
• Put a selection of two or three snacks (or more, depending on how filling they are and how old your child is) in the jar, and give your child control over when they eat them.
• Use the snack box throughout the day and allow your child to choose when to take something out, except during the hour before mealtimes.
• Once the snacks are gone for the day, don’t replace them. Refill the box or jar together the next day.
• Be consistent about what’s in the box and what they’re allowed (for example, they can’t choose chocolate bars but they can have chocolate chip cookies or cereal bars).

Healthy snack ideas for kids

• dried apricots
• raisins
• currents
• goji berries
• dried cranberries