“How to Deal With” Guides | Babysitters Bungaloo!

~To read part 1 of “How to Deal With” click HERE~

LITTLE MISS SHY 😐
You’re baby sitting for little Kenra, a 3-year-old girl who’s new at the church. You’ve seen her in the nursery and have never gotten the chance to play or get to know her. Why? Because Kenra is super shy, constantly afraid, and never plays with the kids, nevertheless you, who stands twice her size. And now her mom asks you to babysit when she sees your flyers at the front desk. How are you going to get through to Kenra?
How to fix it: There’s no need to worry. If you give her time and space, Kenra will start to open up. Accept the job. When you first arrive at Kenra’s house, she may try to run away or hide from you at first. You may feel she dislikes you, but likely she’s just scared or really shy. Let her mom know that you are fine staying with her (she may notice you feel uneasy). Once the mother leaves, go get Kenra. Invite her to sit in your lap or ask her if she would like to be held (this makes a child feel comfortable and safe) or offer a hug. She may or may not accept, but if she doesn’t don’t worry. Stay by her side, no matter where she goes or tries to escape, letting her know that your there for her. Every once in while, keep offering hugs or being held. Constantly offer toys to play with. If you are baby sitting other children, don’t forget about them, but always keep an eye on Kenra. But- let’s face it. Kenra needs her own space. Don’t crowd around her for long periods of time- it will only scare her more. But you need to keep an eye on her. If she’s curled up in the corner of the living room, make a place on the couch and watch some tv. Pretend like you don’t know Kenra’s there. Maybe eventually, she’ll come and sit by you! *information based on the own experiences and knowledge of the babysitters here at BSB. Written by Madeline.

MR. POOPY DIAPER :O
You’re baby-siting 2-year-old Gabe. He’s cute, friendly, happy and your favorite client. That’s when a stench fills the air. You recognize the awful scent—and it’s not just gas. Gabe pooped. And you’ve never changed a diaper.
How to fix it: Don’t panic–but you can’t leave Gabe with a poopy diaper for another hour and a half. Walk up to him and ask him calmly, “Did you make a poopy?” Make sure you don’t sound threatening–let him know it’s OK if he did. Most of the time, kids will respond “yes” when asked this question and they know it. Pat him bottom just to make sure that it’s poop. When you know, bring him to the changing table and pull off his pants. Never leave a child alone at the changing table: he could roll and fall off! Make sure you have all of the supplies needed before starting. For instructions written by our Bungaloo Babysitter Abby, click HERE. If it helps, bring along a printed copy of the instructions if you are baby-sitting a child with diapers.
NOTE: If the child is old enough to use the toilet (usually 2 or 3 years old) and wants to try, let him/her. If it’s a boy, help him aim and if it’s a girl, she may need help being lifted up onto the toilet seat. Lots of kids use training toilets around this age; ask a parent about these. If a child successfully “goes” on the toilet, congratulate him and reward him with a treat. If he didn’t go but sat on the toilet, congratulate him for trying.
*information based on the own experiences and knowledge of the babysitters here at BSB. Written by Madeline.

LITTLE MISS HUNGRY 😛
You are baby-sitting Amelia, a 4 year old girl whom you’ve just started baby-sitting. It’s your second time, and in the middle of putting together a puzzle with her and her brother, she complains she is hungry. You’ve never had to feed her before, and your stumped. Her twin brother agrees, and now you face having to feed some hungry twins. But what, especially since you don’t know about allergies.
How to fix it: A lot of times, parents won’t keep food in the house that their child can’t eat, but to be on the safe side, ask the child’s parents about allergies. Then ask them what to do if a child complains that she is hungry. If the parents say to not let the child have food, then tell the child, “It’s not time to eat just yet. Later you’ll have dinner with your mommy and daddy.” If the parents say to feed the child if they ask, ask what would be some appropriate snacks. They may give you a list of foods, or say, “Whatever in the pantry is fine”. Even if they say this, it’s not professional to feed the kids junk food. Look for healthier foods, such as fruit, turkey on a small bagel, peanut butter and jelly, yogurt, etc. Make it fun, like cutting bread into shapes, or letting the child help you make a delicious fruit salad. For a treat, add a cookie or a small scoop of ice cream. The parents will be happy that you chose healthy choices for the child.
*NOTE: It’s important to ask the parents about serving sweets to the child or giving them candy. This is great, especially when the child deserves a treat, but make sure the parents are OK with it.
*information based on the own experiences and knowledge of the babysitters here at BSB. Written by Madeline.

POLL: What would you do?

*we, here at BSB, do not own pictures above. no copyright intended. credits to google.

How to Deal With…. Part 1

She hates me. He won’t stop crying. She’s way too shy. He pooped. She wants food. Here’s your guide of how to deal with Little Miss Tantrum and her friends.
LITTLE MISS TANTRUM 😡
You babysit 5-year-old Karrie, a cute kindergartener who’s mom is friends with your mom. When Karrie’s mom asks you to babysit, you are excited. Until she leaves and you find out Karrie is a little ball of anger. She acts rude and throws temper tantrums as soon as her mom leaves. And when you say it’s time to clean up her toys, she says she hates you.
How to fix it: There’s no saying Karrie really hates you. It’s clear she has a bad temper, but don’t let that get in the way. Sometimes kids say mean things and act bad to see how you’ll react, not because they mean it. But they’ll usually calm down and do what you ask. Reply calmly, “I’m sorry you feel that way. But you still have to clean up your toys.” What if she replies, “I’m NOT cleaning up my toys, and you can’t make me!” You could say, “I can’t make you, and I’m not going to try. But if you don’t clean up, I won’t have time to read you a story because I’ll be too busy cleaning up your toys. And I’ll have to tell your parents what happened.” You need to show the child that their behavior has consequences. What if she throws a temper tantrum? “I’m NOT cleaning up my toys!!! No! No! No! No! No!” You say: nothing. You don’t want to keep the tantrum going. Stay near her but let her cry. She will eventually start to calm down and do what you ask. Sometimes silence works best. Kids try tantrums to see what you’ll do. But what if you really feel that a child REALLY doesn’t like you? Let the parents know. Say, “I’m sorry, but I don’t think Karrie and I are a good fit.” and explain why you think so. They’ll understand.
*based on “The Babysitter’s Handbook” by Harriet Brown/American Girl. No copyright intended.

MR. TEARS 😥
Mrs. Gonzalez, a teacher at your school, has asked you to babysit her son Henry, age 2. Henry is sweet and adorable, and you say yes. He’s cheery while his mother is at home, but once she walks out the door, he bursts into tears and won’t stop! What do you do?
How to fix it: Take a deep breath. The tears have nothing to do with you. It’s normal for kids—especially ones five and under—to get upset when their parents leave. With your help, most kids will cheer up pretty quickly once their parents are gone. Here’s what to do: Reassure them…Remind the child that his parents will be back in a little while. He may feel for the first minute or two that his parents will be gone forever. Just hearing the words, “Don’t worry, Mommy and Daddy will come home later” help more than you think. Make up a little song to sing with them “Mommy goes away, mommy comes back! Daddy goes away, daddy comes back!” It can really help. Then…Distract them….Offer a hug or a colorful band-aid…settle the child in your lap with a good kid’s book….put on some music and dance around with the child….offer a small treat like a cookie (with parent’s permission)…ask to see the child’s room or his toys….pull out some toys you brought along, like a stuffed animal or a puppet…ask about pets….put on a video or a television show appropriate for their age….pull out a pack of crayons and color….say, “Whatever you do, don’t smile!” But, What if the crying never stops? You’ve tried EVERYTHING, but the tears keep coming. You’ve checked the diaper, looked for boo-boos, tried to entertain them, fed them if asked….but it’s going nowhere. Babies and toddlers can’t tell you if their sick and in pain. Call the parents right away. No one will get angry. They will understand.
*based on “The Babysitter’s Handbook” by Harriet Brown/American Girl. No copyright intended.