Extra Responsibilities To Discuss With Your Babysitter

Your babysitter’s focus is to ensure the safety and well-being of your child. However, you may opt to have them do more than just watch your children. Sometimes, babysitters are willing to do more than the minimum of caring for the kids. This can include anything that may help make your life a bit easier. Your babysitter may charge a bit more for doing extra tasks, but you may want to talk to them to see if they are willing to take on additional responsibilities.

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Pet sitting

Taking care of children can be a challenge in itself, but if you have pets that also need to be taken care of, this is an added task for your babysitter. This is especially true if you do not have a pet but are considering getting one. Your babysitter may have an allergy to certain animals, so taking care of them may not be feasible. Also, some pets have special medical and dietary needs and this can be challenging. Dogs will need to be taken out for walks, which adds stress on a babysitter who needs to juggle this with taking care of the kids. If you have pets or are thinking about getting one, talk to your babysitter about the added tasks they may be taking on in order to take care of the kids and pets.

Working vacation

Over the summer, you might be going on vacation and want to take your babysitter with you to help with your kids. Be sure to sit down with your babysitter to be sure it fits with their schedule. Make sure to discuss any associated costs that the babysitter needs to be aware of, especially if they have to pay part or most of their way. Let them know how you plan on getting to the destination, whether it is by car, plane, or other mode of transportation. Also, the babysitter needs to know their schedule and expectations for the trip, such as when they are on duty and what they can and cannot do.

Overseeing playdates

If your babysitter is working for you and your family over the summer or a weekend, it is likely that they will be overseeing playdates with other children. While they likely feel comfortable watching your children, they may have some concerns about watching other people’s children. Talk with them about what to expect and whether the other parents will be there as well. Be sure to discuss an increase in pay rate for the duration of the playdate if that is something you want to provide for taking care of additional children. Ask them if they have any questions or concerns that need to be addressed before even scheduling the playdate.

Overnight babysitting

Once you and your children feel comfortable with your babysitter, you may trust them enough to watch your kids overnight. Before making the commitment, sit down and discuss the possibility of this with the babysitter. Ask them if it is something they would be comfortable doing and have them ask questions. Set expectations for routines and rules you have for nighttime schedules. Be mindful that they will be watching your children all night, even if the babysitter is sleeping, so you will have to pay them for all the hours they are spending in your home. They will also be responsible for securing your home, especially if you have an alarm system. If you have pets, they need care and attention from the sitter.

Grocery shopping

As a parent, you have limited time between your job, your kids, and other obligations you have going on. Grocery shopping can eat up a lot of your time. If your babysitter’s schedule allows, you may decide that you want to have them pick up at least a few grocery essentials before they watch your kids. It may be easier to have them stop before your kids get home from school and activities. Be sure to have them hold onto the receipt so they can be reimbursed for the groceries they bought for you.

General tips

There are things that are common responsibilities for any babysitter, like light cleaning, laundry, helping with homework, and cooking. However, if you decide to give more tasks than what was initially agreed upon when the babysitter started working for you, you should pay them more for the additional tasks. Before forcing them to do the additional tasks, make sure they can handle the current task load and ask if they would be willing to take on more responsibilities. Look at their qualifications. A first-time babysitter will likely not be able to juggle as many responsibilities as someone with a bit more experience. When you give out new responsibilities and tasks, be sure that you keep communication open in case the babysitter has questions.

When you give your babysitter new responsibilities, it is crucial that you discuss what your expectations are and ensure they are capable of taking on the additional tasks.