If you are like me, you'd like to get out every so often. Perhaps you want to go on a date with your hubby, need to run a bunch of errands, or even better you were able to wing a little vacation minus the kids.
With 4 kids, I try to make things as "stress free" as possible for the babysitter. You can make things less stressful by minimizing the "guess work". I'd lke her to come back & I want it to be fun time for everyone! Most importanthly though I want the babysitter to know how to handle an emergency situation.
You can find babysitting checklists on the internet that will help you get organized. It is recommended that you provide the following types of information for your babysitter: contact information - for the parents & a neighbor or two, instructions for the kids, emergency info, and an emergency medical consent form. The emergency medical consent form is necessary since doctors won't treat a child without parental consent unless the situation is life threatening.
I recommend keeping contact & emergency information near the phone - laminating it will help keep it around for a while. Let the babysitter know where you keep the emergency medical consent form. You should also keep your medical insurance information in the same place. Instructions for the kids will vary each time so having a checklist will help you provide this information as quickly as possible without missing important details.
Please see links below for online resources that will help you get organized for your babysitter. Enjoy your time out of the house as "worry free" as possible!
The Ultimate Contact Sheet - good for working moms or if you are on a trip
Emergency Numbers List
Babysitter Checklist
Printable Medical Release Form
Daily Baby Activity Tracker - this is for the caregiver to fill out
