We often get asked the question about what to expect from a babysitter when they are looking after your children. The answer really depends on your and your child’s needs, which obviously depends on the children’s ages, their temperament, time of day, and other factors like the weather.

 

 

During the day, London weather permitting, babysitters can take your child to a nearby park. With so much green space all across London, you are never really too far from a park where the children can run around. Of course if it is a typical wet London day, or if for any other reason they are confined to the indoors, they can do anything from entertaining your children, which includes feeding them, playing, reading, doing puzzles, singing and changing nappies. Basically, anything to keep your baby entertained and happy. This obviously depends on the child’s age as well but it never hurts for you to tell the babysitter what you expect of them or what you would like them to do. Especially, it is important to let the babysitter know if and for how long it is acceptable for the children to watch TV, play on the iPad and what shows and apps are acceptable for them to watch and play.

 

If your babysitter is also a nanny, then you might ask them to prepare a meal, and do some ironing. This however falls outside of the duties of a typical babysitter, so you might consider checking with the babysitter if they don’t mind. Most of them don’t mind preparing meals. You can also coordinate in advance with the babysitter if they are able to drop off or pick up your child to and from school.

If you are heading out for dinner, babysitters will also give your baby a bath, feed them and put them to bed. While your child is sleeping, babysitters are expected to check in on them periodically to make sure they are ok. If your child has a night time routine, it is always good to share that with the babysitter. Whether it is watching a little Dora the Explorer or having a security blanket, the babysitter will make sure the routine is not disrupted.

Some babysitters are parents themselves, and others are either teachers, nurses, childminders or nannies. So they plenty of ways to keep your child entertained, happy and safe while you are away. Here is an optional, but handy checklist for the babysitter for you to download and print out and give to the babysitter when she arrives. But don’t worry, you can expect experienced babysitters to know exactly what activities to do and how to interact with your child.

Tags: Babysitters, Expectations, Good babysitters, Responsibilities