Thursday, August 28, 2008
Is 'GREEN' my color?
What Makes a Really Great Babysitter?
As sweet as Mary Poppins, as firm as the indomitable ladies of "Nanny 911," as approachable and fun as grandma... How would a dream babysitter's personality profile read? We asked iVillagers, "What do you think makes a person a truly great babysitter?" Like a certain well-known nanny, your responses were "practically perfect in every way."?
Talent: A good sitter should bring all the love of a mommy, the patience of a saint... and the cooking skills of a five-star chef.
Trustworthiness: She'll follow and enforce the rules of the family — even if the kids complain about it.
Maturity: A good sitter has to be able to relate on the kids' level... and on a level with the adults.
Tolerance: A good sitter doesn't mind when the kids get messy and dirty.
Preparedness: A great babysitter will come ready with activities that will keep the children's interest.
Charm: Do your kids get excited when they hear the sitter is coming over? That's a good sign!
Attentiveness: You want someone who will engage the kids mentally and not just sit them in front of the TV — or worse, sit herself in front of the TV while the kids run around crazy.
Playfulness — within reason: She or he needs to be able to play with the kids (rather than just overseeing what the children are doing), but also know when enough is enough.
Focus: No, they don't need to be on your phone, and no, they don't need company... if they have visitors, they aren't spending time with your kids.
Thoughtfulness: Being willing to please the parents is a good trait for a babysitter to have! Our best babysitter so far not only put the kids to bed on time, but also cleaned up before we got home, which we really hadn't expected of her.