How babysitters can handle chaos at bedtime
One of the most difficult times for the babysitter is bedtime. Children can be well-behaved and easygoing all night, but by the time it’s time for bed, they create chaos.
The babysitter needs to find out why the kids throw such a tantrum at bedtime. If it’s because they had a good time with her for so long, it’s certainly a good job done by the nanny; in this case, a little bribe comes in handy to get the kids into bed.
Reading them a bedtime story is a good option. This way, if the fun time can be extended a little longer, it will be very easy for them to change into their night clothes and go to bed quickly. It is always advisable to read a fairly long story to them in a calm and somewhat monotonous way. An interactive or exciting story could fail the babysitter in her effort to calm the children.
Another smarter way to calm them down is to offer them a story time if they’ve just changed into their pajamas and brushed their teeth. This encourages them to help each other instead of fighting to be the first to do so.
What is the routine?
This is where a bit of babysitting really comes into its own. Children usually have a scheduled time to go to bed. The babysitter should be made aware of this schedule shortly after joining the family.
Seeing the situation from the children’s point of view, they have already spent a different evening with you. Therefore, they may also expect their bedtime to be different. So if the routine is known in advance, it is easy for the babysitter to approach the children firmly but tenderly.
Again, if the kids don’t have a bedtime routine, it becomes a bit difficult for the babysitter to get them to bed. In this case, the nanny has to be firm and constant and make them see that they cannot conquer her in this case.
The nanny can help children imagine how happy their parents would be if they found the children in bed without creating a fuss. The babysitter can even make a star map for the kids and put little gold stars for everything they do during the night. The children keep the picture to show it to their parents. This inspires children to stay good and well-mannered.