Infant and Toddler

When babysitting more than one kid, it can be tough. To be more specific, an infant and toddler, how do you balance the two?

Safety is always the first priority but having fun is a big part also. The infant will most likely want to be watching and observing what is going on around him or her or just be held. Infants also sleep a lot more than toddlers so when the baby is sleeping, you can have some one on one time with the toddler.

The toddler may become jealous if the infant is being held and getting alot of the attention. A good idea would be to find an easy arts and craft project for the toddler to engage in. Even just coloring can keep their attention for a while. Some parents don't like their children watching too much television but if the parents are ok with it, tv shows or putting on a movie is always a good way to take the attention away from everything and give yourself some down time.

Babysitting an infant and toddler can become challenging at times but you get the best of both worlds with the different ages. Kids are so much fun and can always put you in a good mood!

Below is a link that has free coloring print outs as well as some arts and crafts ideas for toddlers.

http://www.artistshelpingchildren.org/coloringprintouts.html

How much to charge for babysitting?

When it comes to babysitting privately, getting paid may become awkward. Is it decided before you go and babysit or do you just wait to see what you are paid at the end of the shift? The typical amount for a younger person would be around $10 an hour. If you are older and have more experience and have more responsbility, then $15 an hour would be the sufficient amount to be paid. From experience, $10 an hour is the going rate in most households but there are exceptions where you get more or less. I'm not guarenteeing this is what you get paid when starting a new babysitting job but the link below explains more in detail about getting paid.

http://www.sitters.com/howmuchtocharge.aspx