| Before the babysitter arrives, you have to make the | | | | If the babysitter intends to make use of the children's |
| necessary preparations- for yourself, for your children, | | | | toys and crafts, put them in their proper boxes or |
| and of course, the house. Consider that you are | | | | cupboards with labels, if possible. Check that the |
| temporarily placing somebody else in charge of the | | | | children's room is in order. A babysitter would not want |
| household. That means that everything should be | | | | to walk into a room where she can't even see the |
| functional and in its proper place. | | | | floor. Also, it would mean extra work if she still has to |
| Make sure there is food in the refrigerator, or at least | | | | fix things up once she arrives. Having everything in its |
| in the kitchen. Check that the kitchen appliances are | | | | proper place acquaints her as to where those proper |
| working properly, and if not, inform the babysitter which | | | | places are, so that if your children make a mess, she |
| ones are out of order and which ones work. You don't | | | | will know where to return things. |
| want to come home to smoke in the kitchen. | | | | Check that your medicine cabinet and your first aid kit |
| Inspect the bathroom if you still have supplies of | | | | are complete. In case of emergency, you wouldn't |
| shampoo, soap, hand wash, and other items of | | | | want her to have to run all the way to the drug store. |
| personal hygiene. If you have an infant and part of the | | | | Stock your cabinet with the usual medicines for all the |
| babysitter's duties involve bathing him, make sure that | | | | basic ailments, as well as emergency medications for |
| everything you need to do so is in its place. The same | | | | whatever your child is prone to having, such as |
| goes for clean clothes, diapers, and towels. Prepare a | | | | allergies. Make sure there is a supply of band-aids or |
| guest towel for the babysitter in an accessible place. | | | | bandages in case your children play a little too hard. |