Moms, you could consider having these things on hand too.  I have a cabinet in my kitchen devoted to craft things for my daughter.  It’s great to be able to just give her some glue and paper or play dough and have her be happy playing at the kitchen table while I cook dinner or get laundry folded.  Since your not packing them in a bag to have on the go, you could also purchase more items like glitter, paint and brushes, dot paints, beads and string, etc.

What to put in the bag (or cabinet):

1. Crayons, colored pencils, markers or a combination of all three.

2. Assorted papers including blank white, construction and colored tissue.

3.  A couple coloring books

4. Child Scissors

5. A mini stapler

6. Glue

7. Bubbles (a good idea is to buy a huge thing of bubbles for about $3-$6 and a few of the very small ones to keep in the bag.  You can refill them as needed and have light, small bottles for each child.)

8.  Play-dough (Homemade play-dough is so much better than store bought—recipe follows.  If you don’t want to make it beforehand, jut bring the recipe, it can be made with items most people will have on hand in their kitchen and the kids would love helping!)

9. Sidewalk Chalk

Simple Activities:

1.  Crowns:

If kids are old enough to cut, let them do all of this. If not,  you do the cutting and let them decorate.

Cut a piece of construction paper into 2 or 3 strips.  Embellish one side to  look like a crown.   Staple the pieces together to make one strip long enough to circle the child’s head.  Let the child decorate it with crayons, markers or by gluing tissue paper on.  When dry, fit to the child’s head and have fun pretending to be princes or princesses!  Don’t forget to make one for yourself too!

2.  Tissue Paper Collage

Cut or have child cut a piece of construction paper into a nice shape.  A butterfly, flower, heart, or just leave paper rectangular.  Have the child help tear pieces of tissue paper and glue them onto the construction paper to make a collage.  You can also get different things from around the house to add to the collage such as, dry rice or beans, pasta, cheerios or other cereal.

**Another idea is to do an outdoor collage.  Take the kids out in the yard or for a walk and collect things they can glue to paper to make a collage or picture.  Leaves, flowers, grass, sand, small pebbles or sticks.**

3. Paper Towel Butterfly

Take a paper towel and wet it, but ring it out so it is not completely saturated.  Have the kids press dots with markers onto the towels.  Because they are wet, the color will spread out and look nice.  Let the paper towels dry then take a strip of tissue paper and glue or staple it around the center (like the body of the butterfly).  Then the kids have a beautiful butterfly creation!

4.  Masks

Cut construction paper into the shape of an animal.  Have kids draw the faces and decorate.  Cut out the eyes and staple a strip of paper around the back to hold it on.  Let kids run around like animals!

5.  Tissue Paper Flowers

Layer several pieces of tissue paper together then

fold or have children fold like a fan (fold one way, then the other, back the other way, etc.)  Once it is in a strip fold in half and twist the folded end, or hold together with a paper clip or pipe cleaner.  Pull the layers apart to form a beautiful flower.

Play Dough Recipe:

1 c. flour
1/2 c. salt
1 c. water
1 tbsp. oil
2 tsp. cream of tartar
Food coloring by drops

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a pan and stir.  Cook over low heat, stirring until a ball forms.

2. Add food coloring and mix thoroughly until desired color.

3. Cool and store in covered container.  Play dough can be temperamental, but if it is a good batch it will keep in an airtight container for several months.

Have fun, be creative and the kids and parents will love you!!

DEFINITIONS:

Babysitter: A person you hire to occasionally mind your children when you are away.  This person is there only to ensure your children are safe and entertained in your absence.

Nanny: A person who nurtures, educates, clothes,feeds, disciplines and loves your child on a daily basis.  A nanny’s role is vital in assisting you in raising your child(ren).

In hiring either a nanny or babysitter of course you want someone responsible and mature.  A person that will know how to handle an emergency, should there be one and a person who will make responsible decisions while in your home or with your children to ensure safety. What else is important?

3 Qualities of a GREAT babysitter:

1.  Lots of energy

2. Plans fun activities to do with your kids

3.  CPR/First Aid Certification

A nanny should also possess those 3 qualities, and more!

3 more qualities of a GREAT nanny:

1. Experience in child care (whether it is as a nanny, teacher, parent, babysitter or daycare worker–experience with children is a must!)

2.  An understanding of child development, different learning styles and an understanding of how to include education in everyday fun activities.

3.  An open communicator.  You want someone who is comfortable giving you feedback about your children and working with you to educate and nurture them in a way that is best for them.

So on the other side, what is a babysitter or nanny looking for in an employer?  In one word, I would say, thoughtfulness.

3 Things that make a GREAT babysitting experience:

1.  Money for take out or a meal already prepared for kids and sitter.

2.  A cool activity to do or movie to watch (especially if it’s a late night job) with the kids.

3.  A blanket and some snacks.  I remember as a babysitter, the kids go to bed and you sit to watch tv and it is always cold!  Leave a blanket and some snacks where she doesn’t have to search for them.

3 things that make a GREAT nanny experience:

1. Appreciation and occasional praise or thanks for all that your nanny does.

2.  An occasional, unexpected hour or 2 off.  This is especially important for the nannies out there that regularly work over 40 hours per week!

3.  Paid vacations, sick days and some kind of contribution to medical insurance (which you can likely offer tax free–more in a future blog).

Hiring a nanny or babysitter is complex for many reasons.  In future blogs I will touch on some of these topics from both points of view and hopefully give you all perspective on the others feelings and needs.  As a parent you are sometimes blinded by your vision of what you need, your fears of hiring someone to care for your children, your guilt about leaving them, or even your busy schedule.  As a nanny you are sometimes blinded by your education and experience, making it difficult to empathize with the parents.  I hope this blog will give both sides of the story and make it easier for each to understand the needs of the other…making for better communication and better sitter or nanny/family relationships…which make for happy, healthy kids!

It happens to every family: the always reliable, loved-by-the-children babysitter isn’t so reliable anymore. Maybe it’s school, maybe it’s age, maybe it’s a boyfriend or a new job, but for whatever reason, “old reliable” has become “not available” and you need another sitter… fast!

There are a few tips sure to make everyone a little more comfortable with the idea of a new babysitter, so before you invite a stranger into your house and head out for the night, take these measures into consideration:

Make the first visit a short, casual stay.

Ideally, this would be a middle of the day meeting at your house, possibly without you even leaving or maybe just for a walk around the block. Your children are the important thing here, so you want to see if they connect with the new sitter and how the sitter reacts to your children’s personalities. Make it no longer than an hour or two, and overpay a few bucks if you’re happy. The sitter will immediately respect you and put you high on her list when you make that last second phone call for help down the road.

Make a surprise “drop-in” shortly after leaving the next time.

A well placed forgotten wallet or purse will give you reason to find out if your sitter gets on the floor to play games with your children or just stares at her phone texting her friends the minute you leave. If this seems a little underhanded, remember: it’s your house, and you are welcome to come and go as you please. The sitter is being paid to watch your children, and you are simply checking on the situation.

Be upfront about the payment.

Don’t leave your sitter worrying if those six hours with your crazy kids is only going to net her a sawbuck. Let her know your hourly rate, and if it’s a special situation (an overnight), give her a total amount upfront. For example, if you pay $8/hour but need a sitter from 7pm to 7am when the job will be primarily housesitting, you might offer a lower total. Whatever the case, make the offer on the phone so your sitter can reserve the right to politely refuse. Your sitter has a life too, and just because you want to go out doesn’t mean she must accept if she’s not busy.

Overpay a good babysitter.

Are you happy with your sitter? Did you come home to find your kids happily sleeping, well fed,with all of their homework done? Skip that latte tomorrow and give a few extra bucks to the person watching your children. Rates vary based on neighborhood, number of children, financial situation, etc., so naturally only give what you can afford. Just remember, though: the cost to find another good babysitter because your old one doesn’t come around as much could be a lot more expensive than rewarding a good sitter an extra dollar an hour. Be smart: round up, occasionally give a few extra bucks if you know it was a difficult night, etc. She’ll appreciate it and you’ll be happy when she answers her phone on the first ring the next time you need her.

Get home on time.

Just like you don’t want your sitter showing up late, you shouldn’t get home much later than you specified. Your sitter might have plans afterward, so getting home two hours later than expected on a Saturday night might earn your sitter more money but it might also earn you some dirty looks. If you’re going to be late, call.

Maintain the relationship.

The relationship with your babysitter is one of the most important relationships you have because it involves your children’s care. Keep it friendly but professional. Don’t be afraid to ask for her services, but also don’t be offended if she can’t always make it.

These tips should help the transition with a new sitter. If you find one that isn’t a good fit, the tips will help you know immediately, and when you find a “winner,” the tips will help you keep her around until your own kids are ready to babysit. Either way, now you’ll be prepared.