My Blog

Make a Super Sitter Surprise Box. Decorate it with wrapping paper and markers, and fill it with fun crafts, toys, and goodies. Bring the box with you when you babysit. When the kids get bored, just pull out the box.

Zoey here, just wanted to say Happy New Year early before I get too busy getting ready! So here's what's happening tonight. My parents invited some of their friends over our house for the evening. My older brother is going to his girlfriend's house tonight, my younger brother is just DYING to stay awake this year, and me? Well, I'm planning to get on the couch in my PJ's with some sparkling cider and watch the New Year's Rockin' Eve. We will play some games and stuff but mostly talk and watch TV. So, what are you people doing? Just comment and let me know!
Thanks for reading,
Zoey

If the child you're babysitting doesn't want to put on his pajamas, brush his teeth, or go to bed, try to make a game out of it. For example, say, "I bet you can't put your pajamas on in less than a minute." It's fun for the child because it's a game! And you get your job done.
Thanks for reading,
Zoey

If the place where you're babysitting has a computer, look up some foreign languages to teach the kids. Maybe they could even learn to write their names in Chinese. You can also make up your own languages!

Thanks for reading,
Zoey

Before babysitting, make an idea cup, which has pieces of paper with things to do written on them. Whenever the child doesn't have anything to do, have him or her pick an idea out of the cup. You can even let the child add ideas to the cup.

There are so many people in our family that we have to have 2 different get-togethers. My 2 neices and 1 nephew are coming up today they are supposed to get here from Virginia from 1-2 pm. I am excited! We have Christmas Eve with the intermediate family, and another family gathering sometime after Christmas. On Christmas morning there is only 11 of us. Btw: please comment!
Thanks for reading,
Zoey

Before the parents leave, get to know the neighbors so that if anything goes wrong, you can always go to them for help. Also remember to get the parents' cell phone number and an emergency contact number so that you can get ahold of them if needed.

So today I just lied on the couch and I helped Mom make reservations for a trip to Williamsburg. We have passes that let us through for the whole year, but it turns out they don't work for the evening programs during the Christmas Season. It would be $60.00 for all five of us to see one evening program. It's not good, but we'll go with it anyway, it's that time of year, prices go up, and skies are the limits! Oh well, I am still excited. I'm not promising any pics, but I'll try!

If the child you are watching is only a few years younger than you, treat it like you would treat one of your friends. Don't act as if itis only two years old, even if the child is. Make the child feel as if the it's a little more "grown up".

Always talk to the parents about how to disipline their children. For instance, some parents do not use time out as a disiplinary action, so that would not work for you at all. For a child that's never had time out, they would not understand what you are doing. You will babysit for different children, different families, so always check with the parents on how to deal with their kids if they are not respecting you. They will always let you know what to do!

When you babysit a child who has been good, make a card that says something like "Thanks for letting me babysit you!" or "You were great!" Attach a piece of candy to the card as a surprise for the child. I tried this, and the family welcomed me back as their best babysitter!

We are getting basically our Christmas break now, so all we have to do is 2 math lessons a week, and 2 reports and 1 poem to memorize, not so bad, huh? I just wanted to fullfill my promise of the post that said I would be talking about other things than babysitting.

Dear Zoey,
What if you were babysitting a kid who doesn't seem to have ANY respect for authority and just think they can do whatever they want? For me, as I have been raised almost completely the opposite, it would be very difficult. What are your ideas on relieving some of the "tension"?
Sincerely,
A fellow babysitter

Dear A Fellow Babysitter,
If the child has no respect for you or anything, put them in timeout for 5-10 minutes and afterwards, explain to them that they need to know that you're in charge and they will have a good time with you if they listen.
Sincerely,
Zoey

I will still be writing about babysitting, but I've thought and I decided to write about anything special that might happen! I will show a glympse of myself!

Thanks for reading,
Zoey

Btw: my email is ilovedog04@gmail.com Feel free to ask questions and tell me how good im doing! heehee

Thanks for reading,
Zoey

I still will do the weekly question, but I need questions for that! Send them in I don't care how personal they are I will just email the answer back to you and not put it on the blog. You can send regular questions too, that way I can put them on the blog!

Had you ever had that experience where kids like you A LOT and they all want to play with you? I have just the solution. Here is a scenario: "Zoey let's play over here," said Jack. Elly said,"Zoey play with me!" "Both of you calm down! We will all play together with eachother. I think we should play a game!"

If the kids like the idea great, but if not set a timer for each one to have time with you!

Thanks for reading,
Zoey

I have the most wonderful news all week! Except for Thanksgiving!! I don't have to give up on this blog yet! I am going to be on the computer more, so I think you will still be getting posts from time to time!
Thanks for reading,
Zoey

I'm sorry to say that i can't post anymore but if you have any problems just looj bak at other posts/

~Zoey

To my readers: Should I just do a weekly question, or keep doing posts?

Thanks for reading,
ZOey

Dear Zoey,
What do you do when you've had a past expierence (like you dropped a kid and they got hurt by accident) and you still want to babysit for them. How can you re-build the trust? Or should you forget it?

Sincerely,
Ellis


Dear Ellis,
I have gotten into situations like that. What you do is that you get your parents or family-friends to give you support and let them write a letter to the child's parent(s). They might get a little more careful, or they might just let go for awhile, and then start up again.

Your Blogger,
Zoey

Dear Zoey,
have you found it hard to reassure parents sometimes or prove somehow your "credentials" to take care of their kids? How can we reassure parents for that?

-Hannah

Dear Hannah,
Thank you for the question! I reassure the parent(s) that my crudentials will take care of the kids would be to get some references by e-mail. Print it out and give the exact words to the parents!

-Zoey

I am not getting any questions so hopefully questions will come in soon. Just comment on one of the posts, and send along a question with it. Or e-mail it to me: ilovedogs04@gmail.com

Thanks for reading,
Zoey

Every week from now on I will pick one question from my comments section and I will answer it in a post. Be sure to check this out every Tuesday. If I am a day late, it is most likely because my internet is down!

Thanks for reading,
Zoey

Following is so cool. I am currently following two blogs, and they are both wonderful!!! I love it when I can just go to my dashboard and see if there are any new things there! So if you want to follow this blog, you most certainly can.

Thanks for reading,
Zoey

If you don't know what to do with the kids and you don't want them to sit in front of the TV all day, this is the post to read! ex: "Zoey, I'm bored!" "Chloe, do you want to play any of your board or card games?" "Okay!" "How about Monopoly Chloe?" "Just the game I wanted to play!"

If you just suggest some things to do, they will just be so happy that they can actually play with someone, especially if they're an only child. Some babysitters just sit on the couch and watch TV and say: "Go away and play." I personally think that it brings that child down.

Thanks for reading,
Zoey

Health is what you always want to give to kids at snack time or meal time. If the parents haven't told you what to make the kids, do something like a salad with whatever they want on it. (i read online that one kid wanted gummy bears on his salad, that way it would be healthy yet sugary!) You should give them some kind of fruit or vegetable (whichever they want) with some milk or juice. For the main course it should be something easy like chicken nuggets or grilled cheese sandwiches. If they eat well, then later give them something like ice cream or candy. Or, if their parents don't want them to have any treats, give them something like strawberries with sugar.

Thanks for reading,
Zoey

You have kids who don't want to eat because they want to play, but insist that they're not hungry? I have just the solution. ex: "But Sarah, you have to eat sweetie." "I don't want to Zoey! I no hungry!" "Yes you are. You have to eat or else you can't have a snack later. Plus, you don't want Mommy and Daddy to be upset and have to take you to the doctor"
Even though it's a lie, most kids don't like the doctor's office at all. If this doesn't work, then say that you will give them a prize if they eat. (something like a stuffed toy or candy)

Thanks for reading,
Zoey

Subscribe to my posts! It is kind of near the bottom. Scroll down a little until you see on the right side the subscribe box. Thanks!

Thanks for reading,
~Zoey

I am not getting very many votes for any of my polls. Maybe two or three each time I have one up. I really need to know if it's working or not, so vote if you want to, don't if you don't want to and this will decide if I should keep making polls or to just stick to the posts.

Thanks for reading,
~Zoey

If you're one of the babysitters who don't know what to do with the baby, and you just put them in their cradle, here are some tips to keep them entertained(fromhttp://www.safesitter.org/Babysitters_Page/TipEntertainment.htm):
1. rocking
2. cuddling
3. gently handling
4. letting them hold brightly colored objects
5. singing to them
6. or playing a soothing CD
7. letting him/her look into a mirror
8. peek-a-boo
9. pat-a-cake
10. this little piggy
11. so big

Thanks for reading,
~Zoey

This post is all about making the children feel better almost immediately. Here is how you know if the child is just being fake about it:
If you say: "Well I guess we won't get to do the fun things I planned to do." (in my other posts I gave you tips on what to plan for the day or night when babysitting)
If the child is actually hurt, but not bad enough to call anyone. Get him/her to sit on the couch and read or watch TV. Give the child a snack and let him/her rest. When they are all ready to play again, just forget it ever even happened!

If it is a younger child, and they fall and scrape any part of their body, they mostly will be more scared than anything, so calm them down first!

Thanks for reading,
~Zoey

The winner of the age poll is (drumroll): 4-7 years! It was 66% 4-7 to 43% 0-1. Very close but 4-7 won. Any ideas for what I should do for the next poll?

Thanks for reading,
~Zoey

This post is about how to get a babysitting certificate. You could probably look something up online and find someplace near you to take a class and test and get certified, but the easiest way is to go to Red Cross. You take a class and you basically cover all the babysitting basics and you learn the heimlich maneuver and some other need to know things incase of an emergency. I would say if you are underage and you are babysitting, DON'T go to Red Cross.

Thanks for reading,
~Zoey

This is part 2 for getting the kids off the couch. This isn't going to be long. But here is what you should do. Give them a half hour of television near the end if they have been good. If not, then take away fifteen minutes only so that they don't think you're too harsh. Bring them a treat also. Before you go, you should make a time when you can do a craft or have a scavenger hunt for a snack. When they are pouty about having only fifteen minutes of TV, tell them next time if they are extra good, they get 45 minutes of TV. If they are sad, give them a game to play with instead of TV.
Thanks for reading,
~Zoey

I think that all kids should have fun when you're babysitting them. Here are some tips to keep them busy for awhile before nap or snack:

1. Get them outside.
2. Play around with the hose.
3. My mom used to say don’t play with your food, but this is so fun: Whatever food you have play cops or any pretend game the child likes. Put on a performance for the other children, or just put on a performance for yourself!
4. Tag (outside)
5. Hide and go seek
6. Let the kids be YOUR babysitter!
7. Play Dog.
8. Have a drinking contest. (preferably with water)
9. Take pictures with yours, your parents’, or the child’s camera.
10. Clean up but make it a game. Here’s how: Make a list for each child, then put them each on their own beds. Tell them to look there and start. Whichever child gets done first gets to pick what bedtime story they will be reading.

I know what you're thinking. What secret? I used to get grossed out when I had to change a diaper. But now using my technique, I'm not! Let's get started. Ex: You have to change one year old's diaper. It's a very nasty one! Yuck. Your first thought was 'Oh boy, now what? Is he/she really wanting me to change THAT nasty thing?' Well, here's what you do:
1. Make sure you're on a place where you can't get anything 'dirty'.
2. Imagine you're changing a pee diaper and just don't look at the 'dirt'.
3. When wiping child, pretend you're giving him/her a bath. Just wipe and don't think about it!

Is it your first time babysitting? Well, don't worry. All you need is a list and encouragement! So here is what you should bring:
1. A notebook in case you find out anything interesting that you did and want to try it next time. Or just to take notes if the parents don't have a schedule.
2. A bag full of prizes for the end if they're good children.
3. One thing you should definately have would be phone numbers of both of the parent's cell phones and the place that they are going. Plus your home phone number. (for some of you who don't know it)

Next, if they are a bit shy don't come on so strong. Say something like this: "Suzie, what do you want to do?" instead of telling them suggestions. If it's a baby it should be a lot easier. Just spend some time with them, or hold them. Or you can just put them in their crib and let them go to sleep. (it depends on the nap schedule)

Toddlers: This is the silliest they'll EVER be. When they do things they are not supposed to do, warn them and if they do it again put them in time out chair for 2 minutes. It should work. If they start crying don't be soft on them. When their time is up give them a hug and let them play. If they have a tantrum make the punishment longer until they stop. Or just ignore them and they'll stop.

Older children ( 7 and up): They should only have a half hour of TV. You should probably bring along some crafts and games.

Thanks for reading! ~Zoey

Zoey here. Just wanted all of you to know that I am having a new blog objective. This blog is now all about babysitting! Check it out!

I just want to thank everyone who voted on the dress poll. Sorry boys! Remember, this is a weekly poll! So, I will be putting one up soon! Give me your ideas for another one.

~Jamie

my old one was weird. Let's start over! Today was my first day of school. (I am homeschooled, say what you want). It was fun. I got done @ 11:00. I went to play at neighbors' houses, then I had a grilled hamburger with NO bun. Now I just set up my new blog. ttyl!

~Jamie