5 things kids look for in a babysitter
In the babysitting hiring process aside from what you and your partner might think you need in a babysitter, ideal attributes being responsible and patient as well as putting your child’s safety as a number one priority, it’s also important to take into consideration; what will the kids want in a babysitter?
I mean we’re not talking about the kid’s ideal dream adult of someone who feeds them ice cream all day long and fizzy drink by the bottle, but rather consider what they think would make a great carer for them as they will be the ones spending the majority of the time with them, so their opinions should count too. If you make the child’s decisions a part of the overall process, not only will you make them feel valued but also get them seriously excited for some serious playtime with their chosen sitter!
Here are a few things our inner child demands in a sitter..
- Must be able to move without the need for an energy drink.
Having a high energy level is a big plus. Your child loves to run, jump, and do everything a kid dreams of doing with an older brother/sister figure. Every possible game your little monster is going to want to play is going to require movement, so when choosing the sitter make sure they are willing to go above and beyond agility wise to cater for your child. Countless surveys have suggested that your children are happier when they are outdoors moving and having a great time as opposed to just sitting indoors playing on their mini iPad. Keep that one in mind.
- Open-minded
News breaker kids love to play and once you’re out of the house they love every opportunity to dominate the household. So, a sitter who is willing to break down the ‘I’m in charge wall’ and let your child be the leader of all things fun and silly is extremely important. It takes a special kind of person to be in charge but also be a kid with the kids as well. You need a sitter that is open-minded in the sense of being capable of taking on a variety of roles.
- Mum can she be creative? …. I mean who doesn’t love craft time?
Being able to get their hands down and dirty is a huge tick in every kid’s babysitter checklist. From mud pies to playing mums and dads, every part of being able to interact in creative play gets your child excited. Finding a sitter that has had experience in occupying kids in the past is extremely important as it’s almost a guarantee that they can cope with the need to colour every picture in the book and bake every mud pie in the not so real oven in the kitchen.
- Someone who is kind.
Often these days we forget about one of the most important aspects to any person, and here at Fran be believe kindness is the key to anyone’s personality. Being a mum is a caring gig and not everyone gets that, so it’s important for you to find someone that is going to give that kind of stimulation that you give your child when you’re not there. They should be just as excited to spend the day and play with your kids as you are.
- F-U-N
Hold the phone, did someone say the F word? Yes that’s right the real jaw-dropper, FUN. Every kid known to man has this as their number one for any person taking care of them, including you their own parents. You want to hire someone who makes brushing teeth and putting on pj’s a fun experience which is just as exciting to do as jumping on a trampoline. It’s exactly what your kid wants, so it should be exactly what you want too.
Hope this starts a conversation in your little family unit, and don’t forget to check out some of our other blogs which could be useful in your search to find your Fran-tastic sitter.
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