When searching for usable babysitting forms, printable templates are a great way to organize the information you want your babysitter to have and share. These templates help to avoid confusion between you, the babysitter, and the child and can give you a detailed picture of how your child's day went.
Prepare for a Care by Leaving Some Babysitting Forms
Choosing a babysitter is no joke, and leaving your kids with a new caregiver can be an emotional occasion for all involved. The parents want to make sure the sitter will take excellent care of their precious children. The sitter will hopefully want to make a good impression and do their best to make sure the kids are safe and well cared for. While you should spend time talking with your sitter, going over the house rules and the children's schedule, talking to them isn't always enough. Including a detailed babysitting form parents have completed is key. Consider leaving your babysitter with other forms to complete throughout the day, so when you return home, you will be up to speed. If you need help to download the printable information forms, check out these helpful tips.
Emergency Contact Form
One important form is the Emergency Contact Form. Not only should you leave your name and numbers but also any reliable neighbors, relatives, or other people that could help if a problem were to arise. Important numbers should also include emergency contacts such as 911, your pediatrician's number, the hospital's number, and even the number of where you will be, such as a restaurant, movie theater, or event.
Review this information with the sitter so that they who to contact if something unplanned happens.
Babysitter Information Form
Another important form to have on hand is the babysitter information form. This form tells the babysitter a bit about the kids and is ideal for specific instructions or things that the children should or should not do while parents are gone. Specify in writing any special medications, dietary needs, or other instructions important to care. Not only is this the best way to ensure that your children will be taken care of properly, but it also eliminates any confusion about your kids' care. If it is in writing, it really can't be argued with. This can eliminate some battles about "momma lets me stay up until midnight" or "I can have 10 cookies" because the rules and expectations are clearly written out.
Print babysitter forms, printable checklists, and other pertinent information and place in an easily accessible spot for the babysitter. While no one wants to imagine a medical emergency, you must be prepared for such an occurrence. If you have all the information that your babysitter might need written down and displayed in a prominent area, they can quickly take the steps to get the help they need while taking care of your baby.
Keep Communication Constant
Emergency forms and contact forms are key, but other types of babysitting forms can be useful as well. Moms and dads often spend much time away from home working, and being able to come home to an overview of their family's day can keep all parties on the same page and equally involved in daily childcare. A printable form detailing the day's events like mealtime, nap time, potty training, and general moods of the kids will key mom and dad into important information.
Another useful form that babysitters can fill out during their day is an activity form. Coming through the door at the end of the workday can be stressful and overwhelming. Mom and dad are tired, the babysitter may need to get somewhere else, and kids are typically clawing at their parents for their attention. In the midst of this shift change, much can get lost in translation. A simple activity form can help with this. On this form, babysitters can jot notes about what fun things they did with kids in the morning, afternoon, and evening hours. Fun events like a trip to the library, a walk through the park, or an afternoon playing with play dough might find their way into a form such as this one. Any special trips out of the house or notes about friends or neighbors they spent some time with during the day can also be recorded in this form.
Make Your Babysitter's Job Easy
It doesn't matter what form you decide to use, and you may have to modify them to suit your particular needs. Be sure to save and print the form to use with everyone who cares for your child now and in the future. Don't forget to review the forms regularly to make sure that you have the latest numbers for doctors and dentists, just in case the babysitter needs them.
