How Your Babysitter Can Help With Your Holiday Task List

The holidays are a busy time, especially for parents. Between holiday activities and gift buying, stress can take its toll. This is where your babysitter can help out. Your babysitter can watch your kids while you complete tasks, whether you are out and about or are doing things at home.

Tasks at home

There are many tasks at home that you likely have to do that are easier when your child is doing something else. If you are wrapping gifts, you likely do not want your kids to see their gifts or get into the wrapping paper and scissors. When you are at home and your babysitter is watching your kid, do not interfere with conversations they are having as this may disrupt their bonding. Your child may throw a tantrum, let your babysitter take care of the situation. Act as if you are not even there. Before your babysitter starts their shift, have a meeting with them so they know what to expect and how to handle certain situations.

Chores

Chores can be tedious and challenging when the holidays are not in our midst. However, the extra stuff that comes with the holidays can make typical chores seem super overwhelming. While your babysitter’s primary focus is taking care of your child, see if they would be willing to help out with some extra chores and responsibilities such as laundry and grocery shopping. This may require you to pay them more, but it will be worth it since you will not have to worry about those tedious tasks that accumulate throughout the holiday season. Be sure to ask your babysitter if they are willing to do these extra chores and responsibilities as they may want to focus on the childcare aspects of being a babysitter.

Parties

Whether you are attending or hosting, parties can be difficult when navigating the experience with children. This is especially true if the event is for adults and you are hosting. You may have your children and babysitter stay in a separate section of the house so they do not disrupt your festivities. Be sure to have fun activities planned for your babysitter and kids. You may even want to have your kids and sitter throw a mini party so they do not feel left out. If you hear your kid having a tantrum, try to resist the urge to intervene as it is your babysitter’s job to take care of the situation.

Cooking and baking

Cooking may be a part of your babysitter’s tasks already. This task becomes even more important around the holidays as it means you have fewer things to do and worry about. If your babysitter is only making enough food for your child, see if they would be willing to cook dinner for the whole family, and be sure to invite them to eat with you as well. This way, you do not have to worry about cooking in the midst of the other things you have to do. Your babysitter can also involve your children in prepping holiday meals. You may also have them help with the baking you have to get done. They can include your child and have them decorate cookies.

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Decorations

Your babysitter may be able to help with decorating your house for the holidays. Tell them where your decorations are and they can at least bring out the decorations. They can do craft items with your child to help make new decorations, such as snow globes or ornaments. You may want to put up the decorations yourself or decorate the Christmas tree, but your babysitter can help you sort through ornaments and other decorations to see what you have and throw out anything that may have been broken over the course of the year.

If you want your child to be doing something else as you decorate so they do not risk breaking something, consider having your babysitter watch them and do an activity with them to help you be able to focus on what you are doing. While you may want them to aid in decorating the tree, you may have other decorations that are not as child-friendly as you want to put up. Set up activities for your babysitter and child to do that are festive but allow you to focus on your decorating. They can even make new decorations to include!

Game night

If you are hosting a game night with friends, have your babysitter come over and host the kids’ game fun so the parents can have competitive fun without having to constantly worry about the kids. Of course, you should ask if the babysitter is comfortable watching other families’ kids and you will have to pay them more (or have your friends pay for their kids). Having a worry-free friends game night is a great holiday tradition where your kids can also have fun playing their own games.

The holidays can be stressful, but recruiting your babysitter to help watch your child while you complete tasks, or even aiding in some of the tasks, can help you accomplish everything on your to-do list!