SERVANT EG

DON’T make phone calls unless absolutely necessary. If you did make a phone call; when the parents return mention that you used the phone to confirm another job or whatever the reason was. You want to make sure to do this, because chances are that the next day your DC (dear charge) will say “the babysitter was on the phone the whole time”. They’re not trying to get you in trouble. It’s just that in a child’s world the fact that you delayed making their peanut butter sandwich for five whole minutes because you were on the phone feels to them like you were on the phone “the whole time”.

 

DON’T eat the client’s food unless they give you permission to do so.

 

DON’T spend time on the client’s phone or the client’s computer unless they’ve given you permission to do so and even then do so sparingly. Remember that you are there to care for their children, not to do your own business.

 

DON’T ask the parents to come home if a pet or child is sick or otherwise difficult to handle. DO call parents though to alert them to the situation.

 

DON’T let children go with anyone unless you have written permission from the parents. Make sure to let the parents know if they call in or when they come home if their child left the home with an adult.

 

DON’T let anyone into the home or hotel room without permission from the parent. Feel free to refuse someone access to enter the home. It is much better to be safe than sorry. Make sure to let the parents know if someone asked to take the children.

 

DON’T transport children or adults in your own car. It’s a good idea to have a signed note from the parents if you’ll be walking with the children outside of the family’s property, taking the children on public transportation or using the parent’s car.

 

DON’T administer any medications without a signed release.

 

DON’T smoke, drink alcoholic beverages, make personal phone calls or have a guest visit you while on an assignment.

 

DON’T be late – EVER. Be cogniscent of the fact that the family has made plans based on your commitment to be at their home to babysit the children at a certain time. If they have tickets to something that they cannot attend or are late arriving because of your tardiness, they  may ask you to reimburse them.

 

DON’T complain to parents. It’s a good idea to ask for advice, but it’s never a good idea to complain.

 

DON’T spend money on the children unless the parents have given you permission to do so; i.e. they ask you to order a pizza or to flag down the neighborhood ice cream truck. And if you do spend any money make sure to give the parents the receipt.

 

we hope that this simple list will help you to understand what a parent’s expectations may be for a good babysitter who they will ask back again and .