7 ways to prepare your family for a new babysitter

Whether you’re replacing your old babysitter or hiring one for the first time in Dubai, it’s important that both your family and the babysitter get comfortable with each other as quickly as possible. Being unprepared can lead to awkward and frustrating situations.

ServiceMarket has put together a list of the 7 steps that every parent should take to properly prepare their family for a new babysitter. Follow these simple steps to make the experience a stress-free one!

Your kids are likely to feel anxious if you suddenly leave them with a new babysitter. The trick is to make sure they’ve spent some time together in your presence before leaving them alone. When hiring a new babysitter, if your schedule permits, it’s a good idea to arrange for a short babysitting session while you are there, so that you can get to know each other a bit.

In case you don’t have time to do so, get the babysitter to arrive an hour earlier so the babysitter and your kids can spend some time together before you leave. If you’re looking for a long-term babysitter, you should speak to your babysitting company to request that they send the same babysitter each time.

Before leaving, take the babysitter on a tour of your home. Not only is this important to make the babysitter feel comfortable, it is also essential that they know where to find everything that they will need to properly look after your kids. As well as showing them around the rooms in your home, make sure to show them where they can find everything they may need such as your kids’ toys and pajamas.

One of the worst things you can do when a new babysitter starts taking care of your kids is to suddenly change their daily routine. Make sure that the babysitter knows their usual dinner time and bedtime routine. Sticking to their typical routine will make your kids feel much more comfortable.

It’s also a good idea to explicitly discuss any rules you have set for your kids such as how much time they’re allowed to spend watching TV or if they are allowed to use your laptop or tablet. You should also specify if and when they’re allowed to play outside in your neighbourhood.

It’s important that your babysitter knows what to do in case of an emergency. As well as providing them with your own contact details, it’s a good idea to share a friend’s or family member’s number with them too. Also consider writing down your family doctor’s details, as well as the police, ambulance and fire station’s contact details. Consider leaving your kids’ medical insurance details with the babysitter as well just to be on the safe side.

If you have any special requirements be sure to discuss them in detail with your babysitter, so that you are all on the same page. Remember to mention all allergies and other medical conditions before you leave. If your kid needs to take a medicine in your absence, write down the time and dosage on a piece of paper so that there is no confusion.

If this is the case, then you should hire a qualified nurse babysitter instead of a regular babysitter to take care of your kid. Although typically more expensive, it is advised to hire a registered nurse instead of a regular babysitter for very young children or children that need any sort of medical care.

 If you’re looking for ways to keep your kids occupied and happy on their first day with the new babysitter, then it is a good idea to buy them a new toy, movie or book. Let them choose it, but keep it aside until the babysitter has arrived. You can even ask your babysitter to give it to them when she meets them for the first time. By reading stories to the kids and joining them in their games, the babysitter can quickly make the kids comfortable.

Never hire a babysitter without first doing some essential research. Reading reviews on babysitting companies can quickly give you an understanding of the quality of babysitting service they provide. Make sure to hire an experienced babysitter with proper training through a licensed company so that your children are safe and well cared for.

In a couple of clicks you can request free quotes from multiple babysitting companies in Dubai!

- Bana Shomali is the Dubai-based founder of Service Market