I have 4 children. They are 8, 4, 2 and 3 months. I have decided to start babysitting a couple of other children. They are almost 2 and 6 months. My questions are:
1~ How do I get my kids ready for this?
2~ My youngest 2 are mamas girls BAD. What can I do about that when they see mama taking care of someone else?
3~ Am I nuts? Is this something I should even be doing? (No we dont need the money... just thought it was a good idea! lol)
Thanks for any imput or advice you may have. I think I may need it and I dont think I thought this one through all the way! lol
2007-08-20 06:05:07 · 5 answers · asked by mommyof4wonderfulkiddos 1 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Other - Pregnancy & Parenting
OH... I forgot to say.. I also have a part time job (32 hours a week) outside of the home after hubby gets off.
2007-08-20 06:16:53 · update #1
Only my 8 year old is in school. I am not doing it to socialize my children. I just thought I could help someone out AND make a little extra cash. Now I am wondering if I have taken on too much.
2007-08-20 06:18:58 · update #2
1. Get your children to see that they are playmates and that they will enjoy the company.
2. Restrict the bad ones from playing with their new friends, or the kids that you are babysitting, tell them that the have to take a nap or have quiet time. That means that they are by themselves, they will probably hate that. Tell the kids that you are babysitting that they can't play with them because they were bad. It will get messy and stressful for the first few days of this, but show them that you are in charge and you mean it.
The other kids will respect your authority in this household.
3. You are not nuts it is good to introduce your kids to company at all times. If it gets to stressful in the long run quit. But don't forget to take time out for yourself and your marriage. Go on a date even if it is a separate part of your house when the kids are napping or something.
Dates are important to a marriage. Even if it is a cup of coffee, but do try to get out and to something. Go watch a movie together.
Hope this helps,
Beadie
2007-08-20 06:21:05 · answer #1 · answered by Beadie 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would recommend have a set rule book that all the children follow such as having your girls help you with a poster board of the rules. If there are special toys (because they will get broken) that they don't want other kids to play with then I suggest putting them on a shelf in the closet where none of the other kids can see them and they only play with them in the evening.
Most likely this will be a trial and error thing. You will see how it goes. Maybe they will enjoy having play mates instead of being jealous.
You are crazy, but I think it is a good thing for your children to be around other children. It teaches them sharing and caring and social skills. The oldest two will most likely going to school so you really will only have 4 kids all day. Well, maybe your aren't insane, LOL.
Good luck.
2007-08-20 13:17:09 · answer #2 · answered by Mommy2 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Check with your state. A lot of places don't let you "babysit" without being licensed. Then there are laws about how many children you can have in your home. You've already got 3 kids who are home all day long, you probably wouldn't be able to have but one or two other kids in your house - definitely not enough to make up for licensing fees.
These laws are designed to protect the children, so please don't ignore them. If you think about it, how many children can one person be reasonably expected to take care of? Their precious lives are in your hands so you have to be certain that you're doing everything in your power to make sure they're safe - even if that means not taking care of them because there's only one of you.
If you're just looking to socialize your children, daycare once a week or play dates are a good way to do that.
Good luck, please put the children first.
2007-08-20 13:16:19 · answer #3 · answered by I_Hate_Stupidity 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think your kids will be fine. Just make sure that their own personal space isn't invaded by the ones you are babysitting. The 3 month old won't even care that new kids are around. Make sure to give your 2 year old lots of hugs, but don't over baby her- she'll get clingy because you make her. Show her that she can play along side other children and have fun. You are absolutely not nuts to want to babysit. Many parents choose to have many many children simply because they have a lot to share.
2007-08-20 13:14:00 · answer #4 · answered by not too creative 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't do it. You sound like my daughter-in-law. She tried the same thing and ended up calling me for help. Her kids were so jealous. She really upset her family.
2007-08-20 13:12:26 · answer #5 · answered by luckford2004 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋