Don't Sit On the Baby!: The Ultimate Guide to Sane, Skilled, and Safe Babysitting - Softcover

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Halley Bondy is a Brooklyn-based writer who has worked as a news reporter for the Newark Star Ledger, an arts journalist for Back Stage, and a music editor for MTV Iggy. She started babysitting as a teenager, joined the Barnard Babysitting Agency in college, and worked as a full-time nanny from 2007 to 2008.

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• These tiny creatures can hardly move, support their own heads, or hold their own bottles.
• They need a good dose of formula or pumped breast milk around every two to three hours, or they may start crying hysterically.
• The good news: Newborns sleep for sixteen hours a day at two to three hour intervals.
• The bad news: You’re looking at full-on diaper duty.

• A gentle touch and a desire to be really, really needed. Newborns are fragile (their bones haven’t fully developed yet), and you’ll be carrying them a lot.
• Decoding skills. Cracking the newborn language code isn’t easy. They don’t cry only when they’re hungry. Maybe the little booger already ate and needs to be burped. Or maybe she’s uncomfortable and needs a diaper change, an extra sweater, or a good rocking session. It’s your job to figure it out.
• Maturity. In general, you shouldn’t babysit for a newborn until you’re at least fourteen years old, or until you have plenty of experience.

• These kids are starting to crawl, sit, and eventually walk (with your help!).
• Younger infants are probably learning how to hold their own bottles, while older ones are likely eating mushy stuff (like baby food) on top of their scheduled feedings. If they can support their own heads and necks, they can sit in a high chair during meals.
• Diapers are still the norm.
• Infants will usually sleep multiple times a day for hours at a time.
• An infant’s jibber-jabber may help you figure out why she’s crying.
• Infants start teething at six months old, which means you’re in for a lot of drooling, chewing, and crankiness.
• They also start to feel separation anxiety at about eight months old, which means they may fuss and cry for a while after their parents leave.

• A cautious eye to make sure that the kids don’t sidle up next to sharp things.
• Plenty of cleaning materials nearby, since food and drool will get everywhere.
• A patient attitude. It’s easy to get frustrated when the kids take a long time to finish their mush, or when you can’t stop the crying right away.

• These kids can move. Fast. This is not always fun in the middle of a diaper change or dinner, or when there are safety hazards (like stairs) involved, but they will give you a great workout!
• Toddlers can usually drink out of covered cups and eat solid food with their hands (have cleaning supplies handy).
• They sleep for about ten to thirteen hours at night.
• They’ll likely still need diapers, though some early birds start potty-training at this age.
• They should be able to tell you (even if it’s in their own special language) that they need to be changed.
• The littlest things can become cataclysmic whinefests. (There’s a reason they call it the Terrible Twos.)

• A lot of patience. These kids want to assert their independence, and sometimes the best way they know how to do that is with a tantrum.
• The ability to take a deep breath, use a calm tone of voice, and not react from your gut immediately.
• Lots of extra energy, since these kids are starting to get into active games, like tag or finding hidden objects.

• Preschoolers can walk and run on their own, though they’ll need to hold your hand sometimes, especially when crossing the street.
• By this age, kids are typically potty-training with adult assistance, and they may wear diapers at night.
• These kids need supervision in the tub, and they probably need help getting cleaned and dressed.
• These kids can tell you when they’re hungry and what they want to eat, and they are learning to feed themselves with regular utensils.
• They can be really picky, and mealtime can drag on due to an endless number of delaying tactics (theirs, not yours).
• Some of these kids will do anything to not face bedtime, and when they do go to sleep, they may have nightmares!

• A lot of creativity (and maybe your old Halloween costumes). Preschoolers love make-believe games. They also love books, though they won’t know how to read for a few more years.
• Patience. You’ll need to be flexible, since they often get stubborn or defiant.
• An arsenal of lullabies. While they sleep for about ten to twelve hours at night, four-year-olds may have a nasty case of nightmares and will need you to help lull them back to sleep.

• My, my, they grow up so fast! These kids can pretty much take care of the basics—dressing, eating, and bathing—by themselves, so you probably won’t need to chase them down too much. Unless, of course, you’re playing tag.
• They may still need help with more advanced tasks like cutting, drawing, and reading, but that’s the fun part.
• Kindergarteners may still be picky about what food they eat, but they can eat regular meals without your help (and they probably don’t want your help either).
• They should be able to go to the bathroom and take a bath without your help (though you should always supervise bath time just in case).
• At night, there might be some rare cases of bedwetting. If you’re grossed out, try your best to not freak out.

• Stellar negotiating tactics. By now the kids can speak totally clearly, and they’ve also learned how to use words to their advantage. Though serious tantrums should have stopped, these kids may still put up a fight (or worse,...