Baby Sitting World

At three years old, a preschooler is learning many new tricks. She can stand on one foot and catch a ball. She can jump sideways and walk on her tiptoes. She can do puzzles and can now play and interact with other children as opposed to just playing alongside them. She loves to show off her new tricks as well; you may be in for a few hundrend “watch me’s” if you have a three year old or care for one regularly.

If you are the babysitter, these new skills can help you enjoy new games together. You may try introducing hopscotch or playing catch with a large lightweight ball. And if you were still reading the heavy cardboard page books, your preschooler is probably ready for something with a little more words and pages.

Though the three year olds attention span has increased, she needs reminders often when given directions or warnings. She needs solid rules and to know in advance what the consequences will be for not following the rules.

At this age children still confuse fantasy with reality and may even develop imaginary friends. If your child never seemed to go through “the terrible twos,” then watch out because the horrible threes may be waiting for you!

Lisa McLellan
Babysitting Services, Classes, and Tips

At four years old, children are gaining more control over small and large muscle groups, becoming more energetic and curious, and interacting more with friends. At two, most often kids will “parallel play” but at four, children are playing well with friends, though usually it is still boys playing with boys and girls playing with girls.

By this time, children are dressing and undressing themselves, using a fork well, cutting with scissors, but still may be having trouble staying in the lines when coloring. They like going to other friends houses to play and enjoy dress up and pretend.

One thing to watch out for is the mood swings that four year olds often exhibit. A typical 4 year old can be happily playing with a friend one minute then crying and throwing things around the next. Just as she gets very sad sometimes herself, she is now able to recognize when someone else is sad and even try to provide comfort.

At this age especially, try to use positive words when you don’t want the child to do something. Say “Please take off your muddy shoes in the hall,”instead of shouting “Don’t come in the house with muddy shoes!” Also, be patient with them, four year olds can show severe stubborness, often because they are trying to become more independent and make their own decisions.

Lisa McLellan
Babysitting Services, Classes, and Tips

While all children develop at different rates, there are basic stages that most children go through at each age. Five year olds are gradually transitioning from pre-schoolers to more mature school age children. At this age children can catch bounced balls, skip, balance on one foot for several seconds, jump rope, run on tiptoe, ride a tricycle or even a two wheeler with training wheels, and jump over low objects.

These newly aquired skills add more possible games to play and more opportunities for interaction with the babysitter or nanny, Some of these skills can be used to play favorite games of this age group such as follow the leader and Simon says. Jump rope and catch are favorites as well.

At this age, many five year olds exhibit a marked increase in attention span and improved concentration. They really enjoy dramatic play and can play out planned scenarios either with dolls or by playing dress up and acting it out. You may also notice a developed sense of humor and the ability to tell and understand jokes at this age.

While this stage is great for the babysitter as far as having more ideas for what to play with the children and the children being physically able to do more, it isn’t without its drawbacks. At this age, children can sometimes get bossy, can be critical of others, and may often turn to cheating to avoid losing a game. They also may exclude other children from games, express anger physically, use “potty talk” and become argumentative at times.

Although they are becoming more mature and making their own decisions, sharing, asking permission and respecting rules, they still often confuse reality and fantasy. Many five year olds will look at Mickey Mouse and not realize that it is a person in a costume. They are growing, changing, and learning every day and will soon enter the next stage – The Six Year Old!

Lisa McLellan
Babysitting Services, Classes, and Tips

Hello Hogan’s Heroes and other thoughtful readers. Starting with my next post, I will begin an “ages and stages” series of blog posts which will talk about what babies are usually doing each month and what they like. I will go all the way up through toddlers to school age children. These posts will be meant for babysitters mostly, so they know what to expect or what games to play with the children they babysit. I’m sorry if you don’t have children and become bored to tears. Don’t worry, I don’t expect you to comment if you have zero interest!

Lisa McLellan
Babysitting Services, Classes, and Tips

It is very hard for children to accept that they still need a sitter when they reach 10-12 years old. Many children at this age can be left alone for a few hours, and some have even started babysitting other children. But they all mature at different rates of speed so you could have two children exactly the same age and one is responsible and trustworthy, while the other would still get into trouble or act in an undesirable way if left alone.

Often a problem occurs when there are several children in a family with the oldest one being 11 or 12 years old. While he or she may be able to take care of themselves, it may not be a great idea to have them be responsible of their younger siblings. This may be due to the fact that he or she is simply unable to care for a baby properly, or because siblings don’t like to do what other siblings tell them to!

Sometimes the older child protests by being rude to the sitter. I had this situation once, where I babysat for a family with four children. The oldest was a 12 year old girl named Kelly and there were three younger siblings with the youngest being only a year old.

Kelly was not happy when I came to babysit, but I knew why. I didn’t take her rudeness personally. What I did do was treat her appropriately for her age. I also asked her for help with things like bathing the baby (even though I didn’t really need help).

Then when the younger kids were all in bed, I asked her if she wanted to play cards with me. One time we watched a movie together, and another time we just sat and chatted. It only took a couple of visits before she stopped rolling her eyes or being rude when I came to babysit!

If you are ever in this situation, try to talk with the child instead of at her. Avoid the same commands that you use with little ones, and try to have her help you with the younger ones even if you don’t really need the help. It will make her happy and make the whole experience easier and more enjoyable for all.

Lisa McLellan
Babysitting Services, Classes, and Tips

When you hire a babysitter, you are asking that person to set aside whatever else they would be doing to come and take care of your children. In exchange for the childcare, you pay the babysitter for her time.

Say you hire your sitter for Saturday night. You call her up, tell her you have a party to go to and you need her around 7:00. She accepts and says she’ll see you then. What you didn’t know is that there is a dance at the high school Saturday night and all her friends are going. She really wanted to go, but she really needs the money.

Saturday night comes, the babysitter arrives on time as planned and off you go. You stay at the party for half an hour but you have a headache that you just can’t shake. So you head home. You’re thinking that the sitter will be happy that you’re home early. But actually, the sitter came dressed to play with little kids. It is now 8:00. The dance started at 6:00. By the time she goes home and changes and gets to the school, the dance will be almost over. All her friends are there, so she got one hour of pay and now she will just go home and watch television. This hardly seems fair.

When I babysit, I have a three hour limit. There was a family I used to babysit for that lived 45 minutes away. The mom would ask me to babysit and she’d go grocery shopping and be home in an hour and fortyfive minutes. It was costing me half of what I earned for gas just to get there and back. I felt bad putting minimums on the time, but my time is worth something too.

If you are a babysitter, you should tell parents when they first hire you that you have a minimum if you think you might need one. If you are a parent, be considerate of your sitter’s time and either pay her for three hours if you are home early, or let her know up front when you ask if she is available that you might only be out for an hour or two. Then she can decide whether or not to accept the job.

Lisa McLellan
Babysitting Services, Classes, and Tips

This is just a quick little post tonight because I have to go to bed. I have a very important engagement to attend tomorrow morning. One of the little girls that I babysit for (and have for the last 5 years) is having a “Fourth Grade Author’s Brunch.” Each child was allowed to invite one special person to attend with them. And, yes, you guessed it, my sweet little angel picked me to go with her as her special person.

I wanted to cry when I got the invitation. Most of the other children are bringing their mom, dad, or a grandparent. I am so honored that she chose me. I am looking forward to it so much! Off to bed!

Lisa McLellan

It isn’t a crime to go out and leave a child who is feeling a little under the weather with a babysitter.   But, you should first alert the sitter of the situation to make sure she is comfortable with it. And either give the child any necessary medications before you leave, or leave detailed instruction with the sitter so she can administer medications etc. while you are gone.

If your child does need medication while you are out, be sure to leave a medicine dropper or measured cup so that the sitter can administer the exact amount of medication necessary. If the medicine is in pill form, it is important to let the sitter know whether or not your child is able to swallow a pill. If not, how does the child take it? Inform the babysitter if she’ll need to crush it up with peanut butter or put it in juice etc.

Also, if your child needs any special equipment during his illness such as a nebulizer, vaporizer, humidifier, etc. show the sitter how to turn on and use the equipment before you leave. Never assume the sitter will figure it out.

When it is very important that a medication be taken at a certain time, do your child and your sitter a favor and don’t put the responsibility completely on the sitter to remember. Try setting an alarm such as the one on the stove to go off when the child is due to take his medicine.

If your child is severely ill then obviously you wouldn’t want to leave him with a sitter unless absolutely necessary. But, if he is just feeling slightly under the weather, then arm your babysitter with medication, information, and your cell phone number or the phone number of where you’ll be, and carry on as planned.

Lisa McLellan
Babysitting Services, Classes, and Tips