Effective Consequences Your Babysitter Can Implement for Misbehavior

Babysitters: we love them, need them, and appreciate their service. Finding the perfect babysitter is like securing your favorite snack; you’ll never want another one. However, you must take the necessary steps at the beginning of the search to ensure you get the desired outcome. Communication is key, and one of those conversations should cover misbehavior. We all want to think our kids are angels, but sometimes mischievousness gets the best of all children. Having a mutual agreement on practical consequences your babysitter can implement during misbehavior will make for a smooth transition from parent to babysitter every time they are needed. This list of parent-approved consequences is effective and babysitter-friendly.

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1. The classic time-out method

Time-out is a universal parenting technique. It’s practical, quick, and non-invasive. Luckily, 99% of child caretakers, like daycares and relatives, have already implemented this, so children will already be familiar with this consequence.  The idea is to give children a quiet and isolated place to reflect on their choices and what they did wrong. Because it is non-invasive, your babysitter should feel comfortable implementing this into their sitting session. A good tip to share with your babysitter in case they are unaware is the general timeout rule of thumb. For children ages 2-5, the rule is one minute per year of the child’s age. This means a 5-year-old would have a 5-minute time-out. The time can be up to the babysitter’s discretion for the older kiddos, but researchers believe timeout is most effective between ages 2-8 only.\

2. Redirecting their behavior when possible

When dealing with misbehavior, sometimes the best consequence is not a traditional “punishment” but redirection. The ideal misbehavior consequence is redirection for younger children still learning to act appropriately. Parents can feel comfortable knowing their babysitter can handle small challenges from their child without implementing a result that could lead to escalation or confusion for the child. For example, if the child throws toys, the sitter would replace the activity with a new one, like drawing or playing outside. It can also look like giving the child a hug if they are having a tantrum or ignoring any attention-seeking behavior. Take a look at these other examples for a full spectrum of scenarios. Redirection is also very effective in maintaining a positive relationship between the kiddos and the sitter.

3. Behavior rewards and penalties

Children thrive on rewards- getting dessert after eating all their food, receiving a sticker after handling a shot, getting a toy for good grades, and so on. Like timeout, the reward system is a universal technique and familiar to most children. This method is effective for kids older than the timeout and redirection phase. The sitter can start with a behavior chart and document how the kids behave. Then, they can receive rewards that both parents and the sitter agree upon beforehand for following the directions of the babysitter. For example, getting TV time after taking a shower or eating dinner. This method also reinforces positive behavior through recognition. Research studies like this conclude that early praise of positive action encourages kids to behave well. Vise versa, giving penalties during misbehavior reinforces their judgment on right and wrong. An example of a penalty is revoking TV time or play time privilege.

4. Trial and error

All children respond differently to authority, so some consequences of misbehavior are more effective than others. To truly find the most effective methods, the sitter must go through some trial and error stages. After each babysitting session, have a conversation with them to discuss their challenges with the kids. As they are trying different techniques, providing the sitter with resources ahead of time would be helpful. Consider having a pre-made behavior chart for each kid, a timer for timeout, or various activities for redirection techniques. For consequences to work from a sitter, the parents must be equally involved in the preparation. Opening the floor for a comfortable and honest conversation about what worked before and after implementing the consequences can lead to long-term improvement in a child’s behavior. It also reinforces a comfortable relationship so that if all else fails, the sitter knows they can contact parents in a misbehavior situation they are uncomfortable handling.

The bottom line is that children will inevitably misbehave because they are still learning good judgment skills. Parents must clearly guide sitters about what methods for consequences are acceptable and how they are expected to respond. Giving them a list of suggestions like timeout, redirection, and rewards/penalties is a solid starting place to begin a system of practicing what works best. There is an abundance of resources like this one that share even more practical tips, but nothing will be effective unless there is open communication between parents and sitters. The tri-dynamic between sitter, child, and parent is everchanging with time and age, but chats about the consequences of misbehavior are never useless conversations.