How to Prep Your Babysitter When You Have More than One Child

Hiring a babysitter to watch your child can be stressful for many parents. Relinquishing control like that can be scary — especially when it concerns your child’s well-being — but at the end of the day it’s something most parents will have to deal with, and it won’t end up being an issue. But what if your child is actually your child? Having a babysitter watch multiple kids at once presents its own host of unique challenges, though there’s plenty you can do to help ready your babysitter for their duties. To help you with that here are five tips for prepping your babysitter to watch multiple kids at once.

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1. The Kids as Individuals

While we’re all aware that every child has unique and special needs, it’s important to remember that your babysitter doesn’t know what those needs are, and when dealing with more than one child there’s that much more to know. When filling your sitter in on the kids they’ll be watching, make sure you go over details about each child. Do they have different bedtimes? Any allergies or medication? Does one child really love legos and the other hates them? Beyond the basic facts of who uses which kind of toothpaste, filling your sitter in on the idiosyncrasies of each of your children will make them better able to do their job and keep the kids occupied while you’re away. Balancing out meeting each of the children’s needs is the name of the game when it comes to watching multiple kids, so make sure your babysitter is well-equipped in the knowledge department about each child.

2. The Kids in Conjunction

While the unique qualities of your children are really important and should be shared in great detail with your babysitter, it’s also important to remember that your kids are not being left in a vacuum: they’ll be with each other too. Every group of children has a different dynamic. Sibling rivalry may run rampant between a pair of brothers, but the twins might love nothing more than to color together for hours. The eldest and the youngest might be ok to be left alone for a brief moment, but you should always keep an eye on the two middle children when they’re together. Fill your sitter in on the dynamics of the household as best you’re aware. Who fights with who, who’s friendly with who, where problems might arise and where things should go smoothly. Information really is the best tool your sitter has, so make sure they’re going into battle well-armed and ready.

3. What Belongs to Who

As any parent, teacher, or person who’s worked with young kids knows, sharing is hard. Kids are still growing and developing, and some reticence to sharing their belongings is to be expected, but your sitter may need some help in knowing where the battle lines are drawn. Whether it’s toys or toothbrushes, multiple kids mean more belongings, which means that it can be hard to sort out what belongs to who; for many kids, this can be a matter of huge importance. If there are any belongings that are special to one child (a blanket or a toy, for example), make sure your sitter knows that. Additionally, make sure they’re fully appraised on whose bed is where, who uses what toothbrush or shampoo if it’s relevant, and any other important personal effects. Just give your sitter a once over of who owns what so any fighting or hurt feelings can be mitigated when you’re gone.

4. Group Activities are Key

No one wants to be left out, and when there are multiple kids in the mix it can be easier than ever to let one fall to the wayside. That’s why it’s a great idea to emphasize group activities with your babysitter and give them a few ideas to work with. They can play group games like hide and seek and tag (especially if they’ll be spending any time outdoors), play board games if the kids are old enough, watch a movie together, or just make up a game that everyone can play. If your kids have some favorite games or activities make sure your sitter is filled in and has them ready to draw on in case they need a new course of action. Similarly, if there are any games that tend to be polarizing or leave a kid out, make sure they know not to play them. As long as everyone’s having fun, your kids will have a great night with their sitter.

5. Going Solo

Sometimes you just need some space, and there may come a time when your babysitter needs to separate your children. Make sure that, should they need to, you share how to best go about defusing any tension with your kids and what you’re ok with your sitter doing. Additionally, having a few solo games and some non-group-centric activities is a good way to change it up and prevent anyone’s feelings from getting hurt, so give your sitter a few ideas to work with there.

Children are a handful, and multiple children are multiple handfuls. Hopefully, you now have a better idea of how to help prep your sitter for watching your children, so that you can have a better night out and your family at home can have a great night in.