So tonight P will have his very first “real” babysitter. I say “real” babysitter because, up until this point, he has only stayed with Gigi and Papa, Auntie N, or Kiks and Frosty…and I don’t consider them foreign people to my lil man. In fact, sometimes I think he’d rather hang with them, than me. Anyway, tonight, for the first time we have asked a high school girl to babyist our P man! This is a BIG (okay, HUGE) step for us. I have been saying I was going to do this for months and now that P is 15 months…it’s about time I live up to my word.

So, as I am preparing myself for this big event I thought I should list some essential information every babysitter should have (along with ALL suggestions from my readers on what I have missed!).

Contact information for you and your spouse- Home phone, cell phone, and work phone numbers , as well as the number of the place you will be at (restaurant, friends’ house, etc.).
Emergency phone numbers- Fire, police, poison control center, doctor, and hospital numbers. It’s also smart to designate one or two neighbors, friends, or relatives as emergency contacts. Leave their names, numbers, and addresses. That way your sitter has someone to turn to in case for some reason they cannot get a hold of you (maybe you’ve had one too many martini’s and you can’t hear your phone ring.) Also, just in case you OR your emergency contact person can not be reached (maybe all of you are out martini drinking), leave a healthcare authorization form that allows your sitter to get medical attention for your child in case something terrible happens.
Address– In case of emergency our 911 address is….
A mapped escape route- In case of fire or some other crisis that requires a fast evacuation, your sitter should be aware of all the possible exits from your house. Also make sure she knows where to find the fire extinguisher, flashlight, and first aid kit.
Medical information about your baby- If your child has any allergies or other medical conditions, or needs to take medication, tell your sitter about it in advance and leave instructions. Or maybe your child has a bad case of diaper rash, even something this small should be addressed.
Food- Don’t leave this for them to figure out on their own. A teen may not be aware of foods that pose choking hazards. Leave specific instructions on what your baby can and cannot eat and drink. And if the sitter will be preparing formula or giving your baby stored breast milk, make sure she knows exactly how to do it.
Your baby’s schedule- It’s important that the child not be disrupted from his routine, so make sure and leave instructions for what time your child normally eats, what time he goes to bed, and how his bedtime routine works. (Do you typically read a certain book before bedtime? Do you rock your baby to sleep?)
Favorite things– It is smart to let your sitter know about any favorite toys or security objects (CG) that your baby is use to. If there are certain games or shows that your child likes make sure the sitter knows what they are.
Time– Be considerate and let your babysitter know when they can expect you to be home. If you veer off that schedule, fine…but call and let them know. It’s not a bad idea to check in every so often either just to make sure that your baby is adjusting okay. If your a texting mommy, this is a great way to communicate with a teen, so you may try texting to check in on the baby.

I think that is about all I can think of for now. Anything I’m missing?

I am pretty confident that our sitter will be great with P. She is someone that he has been around a few times already so that should help! And, ofcourse I would never have asked her to babysit if I wasn’t confident she would do an outstanding job! But, you know me, I like to be prepared so a “checklist”…is a must!