baby sitting (normal)...

[Slycamer]

i put it here instead of off topic since you are teens but i guese moving it wouldn't be bad.

ok is baby sitting little kids hard? what are your experiences? and what are good tips?

i realy have no clue what to do.

 

[TheFoxxehAssassin]

Oh, you have to babysit? Awesome.

I've never done it, though I've thought a lot about doing it.

I don't know what to say, except be nice, and don't let them stay up too late!

--The Silent Assassin--

 

[secretdl26]

This might be in the wrong section, but, whatever.

I've only babysat a few times, with my godparent's grandson.

He was about 6,7,8 the times I babysat him

I think it's mostly about keeping them occupied, having a good time. Find some activities that you both like doing and that will occupy a good amount of time. Watching TV is OK, as is watching a movie, but that shouldn't be the only thing you do.

 

[frost]

Erm put them in a room full of toes and speak nonsense seems to work for me, even though i end up getting covered in toys at the end

 

[King of Clubs]

Erm put them in a room full of toes and speak nonsense seems to work for me, even though i end up getting covered in toys at the end

room full of toes????:dunno:

 

[avery]

put them in a room full of toes

don't you think that would just upset them?

babysitting is fun. they're already predisposed to thinking you're cool because you're this glamorous older kid, so just act really friendly and pretend to be interested in all their toys and stuff and they'll adore you. ask them to show you their room, and chances are you'll get sucked into some game or other and it'll be their bedtime before you know it.

 

[Corri]

babysitting is fun. they're already predisposed to thinking you're cool because you're this glamorous older kid, so just act really friendly and pretend to be interested in all their toys and stuff and they'll adore you. ask them to show you their room, and chances are you'll get sucked into some game or other and it'll be their bedtime before you know it.

Dont forget to give them their own lil' nickname... and all that nonsense.
Talk to them about how the feel about things, what they wanna do when they get older, etc. Children adjust much better to people who are curious about them, and like to know what they think.

 

[Talula]

Urhm, it depends on the age, doesnt it?

When kids are like pre-5, then most babysitting you'll do will be after they're in bed. Parent with young children tend to only go out for a few hours, and the child will already be in bed. You just have to sit and check on them occassionally, maybe read them a story and give them a hug if they wake up and want their mummy.

Once they reach 5 or around that age, the parents will likely start going out for longer, or you'll get asked in during the day on weekends, because the parents feel they can leave their child for a bit longer without being pined for, and also because this is the age that children stop being classed as babies, and so aren't welcome for adult gatherings. You need to start occupying them, playing games with them.

It's also really important to find out the usual bedtime routine, and stick to it, or else they'll try to take advantage of you. Most children are really canny by this age. It also helps to be aware of house rules, and to stick to them yourself.

After children reach 11/12 most of them want to play outside (weather permitting) or go to a friends house, or have a friend over. Check beforehand if this is allowed/normally happens. If it does then just let them. A lot of children around this age, or a little younger enjoy putting on plays and suchlike, so suggest to them something they could do if they complain about being bored, then give them some sacks or props to make costumes with. Of course, this give you a good hour to read or watch TV, *and* you get the treat of watching the play

And then they turn into moody teenagers and they start to babysit themselves. And of course because they've had such a wonderful babysitter as you, they in turn will be awesome babysitters, which will result in generation after generation of well turned out individuals.

 

[angelabauer]

I am the second oldest of 4 gals. My oldest sister Penny was a natural babysitter. When she was 9 she took over changing my diapers on trips. When Penny was 12 our Aunt Betsy had kids old enough to require a babysitter, usually Penny.

Because I did not relate well to younger kids I was not expected to babysit. So it came as a big surprise one afternoon the month before I left for university that Aunt Betsy asked me to babysit. Penny was on a trip. It turned out her son Matt, then 9, still needed to be diapered for bed. Matt did not object when Penny did this, even then, because she was 22. He rejected all the younger gals, but grudgingly accepted me because I was 17.

I had diapered my younger sisters a few times years before, and diapered myself each night, but I had never diapered a boy. Our Mom was completely anti-spanking. Aunt Betsy was pro-spanking, telling me to do that to Matt if he gave me any trouble. Her daughter Carole had been dry for years. The youngest boy, Nathan still needed night diapers. It turned out to be no big deal. The kids all wanted to know about the university, which was so far from our community in Southern California. I had all of them in bed before their bedtimes easily.

 

[Chillhouse]

Babysittings easy, unless you get a really smart one. I had to babysit my dad's friend's son for three days last summer. He's six years old and probably smarter than me. He wasn't interested in action figures or playing hide and seek like any other six year old. No, this kid wanted to play this trivia game he had based on
Planet Earth. He schooled me.

We got into some pretty big philisophical conversations too. By the end he was explaining to me why he didn't believe in God.

Kids like that are impossible to trick, so they're no fun at all.

 

[Slycamer]

Babysittings easy, unless you get a really smart one. I had to babysit my dad's friend's son for three days last summer. He's six years old and probably smarter than me. He wasn't interested in action figures or playing hide and seek like any other six year old. No, this kid wanted to play this trivia game he had based on
Planet Earth. He schooled me.

We got into some pretty big philisophical conversations too. By the end he was explaining to me why he didn't believe in God.

Kids like that are impossible to trick, so they're no fun at all.

I'm getting one of those for a step brother.

 

[FluffyFluffers]

Kids annoy me..... Although I have got a soft spot for my bro's kids.


Lil tip.


DO NOT KILL THEM. The parents get mad when you do

 

[frost]

I meant toys

 

[Plasgoot]

It's ok, as long as you remember you're responsible for their well-being during the babysitting period. Having fun, playing with toys or football ouside is great but you need to set some clear rules. It does depend on the age and character obviously.

I've been babysitting very frequently for the last 7 years now and I think it's great, but also difficult at times, especially since they have three kids. Really, babysitting one is easy, two is managable, three is extreme.. all hyperactive and them arguing with each other all the time.

I guess it's just something you need to get used to before you can build some confidence in yourself without having the fear of someone getting seriously injured or something .

 

[dogboy]

Toes was funny. I was going to suggest a room full of severed heads. More helpful is this: I used to spread my own kids toys out on the floor and play with them. I would make up stories and plots, and act them out with the toys. We had Racer Bee...he was a guy in a race car. My father in law called our son "the B". We had Bishop Chick...from Monty Python. The sky's the limit so have fun. Parents will really appreciate it if you become involved with them. I wouldn't run around the house because they might fall and hurt themselves, or bump their head into something. Finally, remember that you're the boss. You have to keep them safe, and they should go to bed on time. Good luck!

 

[Hex]

[font="Calibri,Arial"]I don't babysit for money or anything but I do occasionally do it to help family out. Though it's a case of children, fine, actual babies no. I wouldn't know what to do for things like getting them back to sleep and ironically diaper changing (Im fine when they're mine but the thought of changing someone elses messy diaper is diagusting).

The most I ever ended up minding was 6 (family and my brothers friends) during my brothers confirmation. Youngest was 7, oldest was 12. Most of them behaved but one of the 10 year old were a nuisance. I didn't askfor anything and still got nearly €60 though.[/font]

 

[LostInMyHead]

Babysitting is awesome...easy money - get paid to play games and tell stories and usually you get pizza or take-out of some kind.

How old are the kid(s) you're babysitting?

I used to babysit neighbor kids all the time. Loads of fun...but they were old enough that we could go out and do stuff like play at the park, go to a movie, go to Buger King...stuff like that

 

[Grutzvalt]

I babysit three different kids (all under 10), and I stay extremely professional... Remember, they don't get jokes (except knock-knock), and they are like a sponge...They soak up what you teach them...Do NOT swear, or their parents will hear it eventually.

 

[kevindhca]

Babysitting is fun, you get to go home and leave the kids behind.

After 21 years, it's a little tireing. Oh wait, that's parenting.

If the kids are a little older, smarter, you can try the mind games.
Help to develop critical thinking skills.
Stuff like: Look in the childs ear, and say " I see the problem; the hamster has fallen off the wheel. "
If the wind is blowing East, which way does the smoke blow from an electric train?
If a plane crashes right on the border, in which country do they bury the survivors?

There are lots like this, but they only work for a while.
The damb kids start to get smart, then you have to keep coming up with new material.
Then they get the new material right off the bat, and it doesn't work anymore.
Caution, the kids may get smarter than you.

 

[h3g3l]

Whatever you do, however old the child is, DO NOT GIVE THEM CHEWING GUM TO "HELP THEM SLEEP".