Personal Insurance Blog

I, like any responsible teenager looking for some quick cash, babysit children when parents want to go out and enjoy the night. The adults get to have fun, and I get to act like a kid again (playing, doing arts and crafts, watching cartoons, etc.).

Everything usually goes smoothly, but ever since I started working at Gordon, I’ve thought about some more precautions that should be taken before a babysitting job, just in case anything goes wrong.

Emergency contact information

In case of poor cell phone connection, leave your sitter with another number to call. This number can be a relative, a friend, or a trusted neighbor. If you are traveling in a group, provide your sitter with the number of another member in the party in case you cannot answer your phone (you leave it on silent, your battery dies, etc.)

Medications/Allergies

Make your sitter aware of any medications or allergies your child/children have. Do not forget to specify where these medications can be found. This is crucial. For example, one of my friend’s mothers was babysitting a young boy when she was a teenager. The boy was stung by a bee and had an allergic reaction. Thinking quickly, my friend’s mother utilized the boy’s epi-pen, and she ended up saving his life.

Car seats

If your babysitter is going to be chauffeuring your children, make sure you give the sitter car seats and explain how to use them properly. If you aren't entirely sure about car seat safety, check out our blog here.

Authority

Make sure your children know that the babysitter is the boss and has the final say in things. Some children become unruly when their parents leave, and do not recognize the authority of the sitter. However, if a sitter decides that play is too rough (i.e. jumping on the furniture, getting aggressive with sharing toys, etc.) make sure your children know the consequences of a bad report.

Remember, you can only have a good time if you know that your children are in good care. Leave them in the best care possible by providing your sitter with all the necessary info to make his/her night a piece of cake.

If you have any other questions about insurance or risk management, feel free to contact us anytime. We would be happy to help.