Babysitter Binder

If you’re new to this parenting gig, you are probably running on some adrenaline. This might be especially true if your child is going through the litany of doctor’s appointments with different specialists to find a diagnosis. You’re probably not sleeping much and you may be worrying more than the average bear. Good news…this is normal.

Bad News

This is totally unsustainable. 

More Good News

We hold the keys to the kingdom and we can choose responsible, caring people who can step in when we need a break. We can prepare these people and our child by easing them into spending time together. We can help our kids to know that they have a network of safe people who will take good care of them. Start with family members you trust: parents and siblings often want to help you. Let them in and accept their help.

Outside of family, choosing people who work in schools means those people have had background checks (you can also do your own digging). There are also agencies (some of which specialize in in-home care for the elderly as well as people with special needs) that can help you feel comfortable that your choice is a safe one. Asking trusted people for referrals is a great way to make sure that your child is matched up with someone who will be a good fit. Ask for references and actually call them. Spending time with the person yourself will help you feel assured that they are one of the right people for the job.

But How?

I know our kiddos are complicated little humans and they have needs that require us to go above and beyond the skills needed in caring for a typical kid. So, create a guide to your kiddo. To help you, here’s a photo of the table of contents in our binder.  This is all the information I want people to know if they are taking care of Mikey.

This binder is everything from medications and emergency contacts to Mikey’s quirks and favorite activities.  It lets me know that when Dave and I are getting a break, Mikey’s caregiver will have all the information needed to keep him safe and happy.

It is also a failsafe in case anything were to happen to me.  I’m healthy and I try to stay out of harm’s way, but you never know – so, it’s great to have things written down for the person who will need to care for your child in your absence.

Keep it Updated

Here are my two “old pro” tips on this topic.

1. Keep the binder in the same place all the time.  Ours is in our front hall closet. It is bright red so people can easily find it.
2. Put a recurring event in your calendar for once a month. Read through what you’ve written. Delete the stuff that is outdated and replace it with new, relevant information.

One Last Thing

Do this before you are at a breaking point.  You may think things are going along great and you don’t need any respite right now.  Good! Then this is the perfect time to take a little extra energy to prepare for the moment when the sh*t hits the fan. Can’t hurt to be prepared and it will definitely help your child if they become accustomed to being around other people. Let me know if you have any questions about the babysitter binder by commenting on the post or e-mailing me at [email protected]. I keep all e-mails private and will not share your personal information.

However you go about it, make sure you have some option for enabling someone else to care for your child. You can’t quit, so you need to rest…plan to have your child happy and healthy while you get a break.