Time Out Stress Relief for Moms

February 19, 2013 Leave a Comment

Time Out Stress Relief for Moms

The dog is chewing on the area rug.  The kitchen smells like dinner is burning and the dirty plates in the sink make you wonder if there are any clean plates or cups in the house. The kids are fighting over toys, and the house needs to be picked up so it won’t look like a disaster. Does this scene sound familiar? Oh yeah, and you’re behind schedule!

A mom’s life can be very stressful and built up tension is not healthy. You need a little down time (besides sleep!).

When Mom needs a time-out to relieve stress consider these options:

1.   Dance Your Heart Out!

Try boogying in your car to your favorite music (just ignore the stares from other drivers) or choreographing your own routine in the family room to your favorite iTunes.

2.   Coffee Shop.

Most people visit a coffee shop to chill and relax while sipping a favorite drink, reading or listening to the music.  The atmosphere of most coffee shops is a welcome change from work site or the house.

3.   Blow Steam Off. 
Have a mini workout for 15 to 20 minutes and do jumping jacks, pushups, jumping rope, or beating a nerf ball against a garage wall with a tennis racquet.  (Nerf balls are definitely less of a liability than a tennis ball and less likely to break windows.)

4.   Pamper Yourself. 
Indulge yourself with ice cream or a chocolate bar, or read your favorite book.  Maybe get online and look up a movie to see, go shopping, or meet somewhere to chat with a good friend.

5.   Schedule Quiet Time. 
Set the timer for 20 minutes and let your children know that you need some quiet time in your bedroom.  Most kids honor your request and are okay with this.

Filed Under: Parent Tips Tagged With: , , , , ,

Helping Children Make Responsible Decisions

February 15, 2013

Helping Children Make Responsible Decisions

Every parent wants to raise their child to be capable of making good decisions as they grow up.  Children need to be given opportunities to experience both success and failure as they mature.  It is crucial is to balance the power you give them with the responsibility that comes with it.

“We do our kids a great service when we empower them.  The ability to express their feelings, make informed decisions and navigate the world around them is a crucial skill that only practice will develop,” says Dr. Deborah Gilbao, a board certified family physician, parenting expert, author and mother of four.  “It is important that while allowing children to express their opinions, they learn to work together. It is an important life lesson to teach children to use the power they have in a way that benefits them, the family and society.”

Permissive parenting emerged in the 1980s and 1990s as parents moved away from their authoritarian upbringing and changed to the opposite extreme — being permissive. It became a parenting style based on a “Live and let live, let kids be free,” trend centered on kid

s’ self-esteem and happiness.

While healthy self-esteem is desirable, these children need guidance in working together for a common purpose that that they can blend into the structure of the work place and meet its expectations.  Young children need to learn how to express their feeling respectfully and that, just like the world around them, there are family rules and values cannot be overstepped without consequences.  In short, children learn that being empowered doesn’t translate to becoming entitled.

Parent can start out letting their children make simple decisions that are appropriate for their age.  A 3 year old can choose his shirt if given two or three choices.  You control the outcome while he has the opportunity to make the choice.  And, as children get older, they can learn to help plan and prepare a family meal, help select a family outing or which move to watch on family night.  When you take charge and provide balance structure, rules and concern for others, you become their safety net as they learn through trial and error.  The end result is happy children with a healthy sense of self-esteem who can be trusted to make responsible decisions.

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Filed Under: Parent Tips

Make Your Own Gold-Fish Crackers

August 30, 2012 Leave a Comment

We are fans of gold-fish crackers here at SeekingSitters, so when we stumbled upon this post at missanthropistskitchen.com on how to make your own we thought it might be fun to do with the kids you babysit after school one day!

Goldfish Cheddar Crackers

  • 1 cup(s) all-purpose flour
  • 4 tablespoon(s) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces (I used salted butter, but didn’t add any salt afterward)
  • 8 ounce(s) grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese (around 2 cups). Note: you can experiment with other cheeses. Some people have tried this and loved the results!
  • 3/4 teaspoon(s) salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon onion powder (note: this is optional since it isn’t part of the original recipe, but I decided to add anyway since I used it)
  • 1/2 teaspoon(s) fresh-ground pepper
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

Directions

  1. Pulse the flour,onion powder, salt, pepper, and baking powder together using a food processor.
  2. Add the butter and cheese, and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
  3. Pulse in 3 to 4 tablespoons of water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and only enough so that the dough forms a ball and rides the blade. Remove, wrap in plastic, and chill for 20 minutes (I put it in the freezer for 20 minutes and in the fridge for 10) or up to 24 hours.
  4. Bake the crackers: Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking pans with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside. Roll the dough out to 1/8th-inch thickness, using flour if necessary to prevent stickiness. Cut out as many crackers as possible.
  5. To add character to the fish: break off an end from a side of a toothpick so it is blunt. Use that point to make the goldfish eyes. To make the smile, lay the toothpick down on its side, press, and drag. If you try to use the toothpick point, it will ruin the smile.
  6. Optional: Refrigerate for another 15 minutes or so to make sure they won’t spread.
  7. Place them on the prepared baking pans. Bake until golden and crisp (13-18 minutes). Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
  8. They are best when completely cooled and the next day in my opinion. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Check out this link for instructions on how to make your own gold fish cookie cutter : missanthropistskitchen.com

 

Filed Under: Activities, Babysitting Tips, Crafts, Recipes, Snacks Tagged With: ,

Back To School Safety

August 23, 2012 Leave a Comment

It’s Back to School Season again & as a babysitter you may or may not have to pick up the kids from school, or you may meet them at the house. Either way here are a few safety tips from classbrain.com for back to school safety:

Car Safety

Please be sure everyone is properly seat-belted into your vehicle before putting the car into gear. Younger kids should be in car seats or booster seats, and they should sit in the back seat if they are under 12 years old. For a complete set of safety tips check our child transportation safety tips.
Drop kids as close to the school as possible. If the school has a drop off area, be sure to use it. Do not set a bad example by dropping them in a dangerous location. If the kids are young, wait until they are in the school yard or building before you leave.

Bike Safety

Please teach your kids that bikes have rules to follow, just like cars. Each year there are children injured or killed, because they are riding on the wrong side of the street, they fail to stop at a stop sign, or the fail to follow some other rule of the road. Don’t forget their helmets! It’s not only safe, it’s the law.

Walking to School the Safe Way
Plan the route your kids are going to take if they are walking to school. It is important to try to minimize the number of streets they have to cross. Keep it as simple as possible. Then, do a dry run with your kids. You should have them do it at least once on their own before the first day of school, so they feel comfortable. Teach your kids to keep away from vacant lots, fields, and any other locations that have few people around.
Also, please make sure that your kids do not walk alone, especially if they are young.

Family Meeting Spot
Make sure to pick out a family meeting spot that can be used in case of an emergency. Parents with kids in middle school and high school should make sure they do not forget this. When there is a crisis, things get confusing. If they know where they are supposed to meet you, you will both be more calm when you need it.

Stranger Safety

Teach your kids not to talk to strangers. They should not accept presents or rides from them. Also, be sure to pick a family password. This word will be used if someone different is picking them up from school, sports, or other locations. It should be a weird word, like spaghetti. One that someone would not be able to guess. If too many people have heard your word, change it!

We at SeekingSitters hope that all of your back to school babysitting jobs are safe and fun!!

It’s Back to School Season again & as a babysitter you may or may not have to pick up the kids you babysit at school, or you may meet them at the house. Either way here are a few safety tips from classbrain.com for back to school safety:
Car Safety
Please be sure everyone is properly seat-belted into your vehicle before putting the car into gear. Younger kids should be in car seats or booster seats, and they should sit in the back seat if they are under 12 years old. For a complete set of safety tips check our child transportation safety tips.
Drop kids as close to the school as possible. If the school has a drop off area, be sure to use it. Do not set a bad example by dropping them in a dangerous location. If the kids are young, wait until they are in the school yard or building before you leave.

Bike Safety
Please teach your kids that bikes have rules to follow, just like cars. Each year there are children injured or killed, because they are riding on the wrong side of the street, they fail to stop at a stop sign, or the fail to follow some other rule of the road. Don’t forget their helmets! It’s not only safe, it’s the law.
Walking to School the Safe Way
Plan the route your kids are going to take if they are walking to school. It is important to try to minimize the number of streets they have to cross. Keep it as simple as possible. Then, do a dry run with your kids. You should have them do it at least once on their own before the first day of school, so they feel comfortable. Teach your kids to keep away from vacant lots, fields, and any other locations that have few people around.
Also, please make sure that your kids do not walk alone, especially if they are young.
Family Meeting Spot
Make sure to pick out a family meeting spot that can be used in case of an emergency. Parents with kids in middle school and high school should make sure they do not forget this. When there is a crisis, things get confusing. If they know where they are supposed to meet you, you will both be more calm when you need it.

Stranger Safety
Teach your kids not to talk to strangers. They should not accept presents or rides from them. Also, be sure to pick a family password. This word will be used if someone different is picking them up from school, sports, or other locations. It should be a weird word, like spaghetti. One that someone would not be able to guess. If too many people have heard your word, change it!

We at SeekingSitters hope that all of your back to school babysitting jobs are safe & fun!!

Filed Under: Babysitting Tips, Parent Tips, Safety & First Aid, Tips for Sitters Tagged With: ,

Tips For A New College Student

August 16, 2012 Leave a Comment

Whether you are going to college for the first time, or you’re just headed back to school after a summer break full of babysitting, we found these tips listed on universitylanguage.com to be worth taking note!

1. Meet people.

The first week of college is when you’re likely to make the friends that will stick around for your entire college career (and hopefully long after that!). Take advantage of this opportunity to get friendly with your college roommate, as well as your neighbors. Keep your dorm room door open so that anyone can pop in and say hello, and do some meet-and-greets yourself! Lots of freshmen mill around the dorms in the first few days of college looking to meet new people and make new friends. Bring a doorstop or something heavy to hold the door open, and people will know you’re welcoming visitors.

2. Find the perfect study spot.

As you’ll realize even more in college, being comfortable is an important study tip. College campuses have countless places that you can escape to for some uninterrupted study time. Whether that’s a nook in the stacks, a shady patch on the quad or a local cafe, it’s up to you to find it — and now is the perfect time, so you’ll be prepared when that first test rolls around.

3. Go to class (and be prepared)!

Though this may seem like an obvious one, you’d be surprised how many students choose to skip the first few classes of college, thinking that the real lessons won’t begin until later. Well, they couldn’t be more wrong! On the first day of college, your professors will probably review the syllabus and talk about the plan for the semester. They’re also likely to list their office hours and contact information. Be sure to bring a notebook and pen with you so you can jot down this important information. Some professors also start lecturing on the first day, so it’s critical to come prepared.

4. Buy your books.

As soon as you know what textbooks you need, go out and buy them during the first week of college, so you can start on your reading assignments right away. Falling behind and not knowing what’s going on in class is not a great way to begin college!

College is a lot more fast-paced than high school. Assigned reading begins right away, and professors will not be sympathetic to your excuses. By the second class, you should have your textbook purchased and your assignments completed. Also, books can sell out, so whether you’re planning on purchasing them in the campus bookstore or ordering them online, it’s best to do so as soon as possible.

5. Find a good grocery store.

Now that you’re living on your own (and don’t have a fridge that magically restocks itself), you’re going to have to learn to feed yourself. At some point during your first week of college, go out and find the nearest (and cheapest) grocery store. Even if you are on a meal plan, it’s a good idea to keep a stockpile of food in your room, as you may miss a meal, have a late-night craving or simply get sick of the dining hall offerings.

6. Fill out your calendar.

Once you’ve gone to all your classes and learned about the requirements of each, jot down all of your major deadlines for the semester in a planner or calendar. Presentations? Term papers? Exams? It’s important to know when all of them are (particularly in relation to each other) so that you can manage your time effectively.

7. Get familiar with your campus.

Unless you paid incredibly close attention on your campus tour, chances are you’re still a little unsure where everything is on campus. In your first week of college, spend some time walking around and finding the buildings your classes are held in, your friends’ dorms and the library. It’s particularly important to find your classrooms before the first day of classes, as this can often be a challenge. Instead of wandering around the day of, take a quick tour the day before classes start to find out exactly where you need to be. You’ll be stress-free on the first day, and what’s more, you’ll be sure to arrive to class on time and snag a good seat!

8. Relax and enjoy yourself.

Your first week of college will be packed with exciting classes, meetings and events –- it’s easy to feel overwhelmed with all of the things going on. Make sure you take time to relax and enjoy it! Meet your roommates for lunch in the dining hall or have a cup of coffee at that cool off-campus cafe. Your college will probably offer a bunch of freshman orientation events and gatherings throughout the first week of college, so take the opportunity to make the most of them and share your stories with new friends who just went through the very same thing.

We decided to suggest one more tip: try to find a flexible part-time job. We suggest trying to find a job on-campus, since they already know you have classes, and studying! Ask any upper classmen you meet where they found their first college job!

Another great flexible job is with SeekingSitters. SeekingSitters allows you to create your own schedule, & that is great for college students!



Filed Under: A Sitter's Life, Jobs with SeekingSitters, Tips for Sitters Tagged With: ,

Back To School Craft : Decorated Pencils

August 9, 2012 Leave a Comment

Wondering what crafts the kids you babysit will love this time of year? Why not try getting them excited to go back to school with a super fun back to school craft! Nothing is better than having the coolest school gear to show off to all of your friends after summer break, & you will be the instant favorite babysitter! We found this fun craft on MarthaStewart.com

 

To create one, a kid winds extra-thin tape around a plain pencil, paints it, and then unwraps the tape. Each design has a personality all its own: A pencil with parallel stripes, for instance, makes math homework fun, while dreamy blue spirals are lovely for writing secrets in a journal.

Pencil How-To

You will need 1/16- to 1/8-inch-wide skinny masking tape, depending on the desired stripe size; acrylic paints; and plain pencils. Natural-color cedar pencils work well. Begin by wrapping tape around pencil; try a candy-cane design, or wrap in individual circles for parallel lines. Paint over whole pencil generously with acrylic paint. When paint is dry, remove tape. Kids can make different styles by varying tape size, wrapping tape in different ways, and painting alternating colors between bands.

 

SeekingSitters wishes you all a fun back to school season!

Filed Under: Activities, Crafts, Tips for Sitters Tagged With: , ,

Splash Safety Tips

July 26, 2012 Leave a Comment

When it gets really hot outside, taking the kids you babysit swimming can be a good way to entertain the kids as well as a way to keep cool from the summer heat. Although swimming is a great summer activity to do during the summer, you must always make sure you have taken the necessary safety precautions while the kids go swimming. Whether you are taking the kids you babysit to a neighborhood pool or babysitting at a house that has a pool, here are some safety measures from about.com you can take to ensure the safety of the kids you babysit.

Pool Safety

Never leave a child unsupervised near a pool.

Do not use flotation devices as a substitute for supervision.

Never use a pool with its pool cover partially in place, since children may become entrapped under it. Remove the cover completely.

Keep toys away from the pool area because a young child playing with the toys could accidentally fall in the water.

Have a telephone at poolside to avoid having to leave children unattended in or near the pool to answer a telephone elsewhere. Keep emergency numbers at the poolside telephone.

Diving Safety

Never dive into above-ground pools.

Don’t dive from the side of an in-ground pool. Enter the water feet first.

Dive only from the end of the diving board and not from the sides.

Dive with your hands in front of you and always steer up immediately upon entering the water to avoid hitting the bottom or sides of the pool.

 

Summer is a very exciting time with so many fun activities to do. This summer make sure that you are aware of all of the safety measures you need to take during summer activities, so that you can keep the kids you babysit safe and having fun.

Filed Under: Safety & First Aid, Tips for Sitters Tagged With: , , ,

Boom Crackle Pop!

June 28, 2012 Leave a Comment

The Fourth of July is fast approaching and that means many people will be purchasing lots of fireworks. Whether you are babysitting or just hanging out with friends this Fourth of July, it is important to know the proper safety tips to follow while using fireworks to insure the safety of others. Although fireworks are fun and exciting, it can get very dangerous, very fast. Here are some safety tips about using fireworks provided by U.S. CPSC.

  • Always have an adult supervise fireworks activities. Parents don’t realize that young children suffer injuries from sparklers. Sparklers burn at temperatures of about 2,000 degrees – hot enough to melt some metals.
  • Never place any part of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse. Back up to a safe distance immediately after lighting fireworks.
  • Never try to re-light or pick up fireworks that have not ignited fully.
  • Never point or throw fireworks at another person.
  • Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of fire or other mishap.
  • Light fireworks one at a time, then move back quickly.
  • Never carry fireworks in a pocket or shoot them off in metal or glass containers.
  • After fireworks complete their burning, douse the spent device with plenty of water from a bucket or hose before discarding it to prevent a trash fire.
  • Make sure fireworks are legal in your area before buying or using them.

This Fourth of July be aware of what is going on around you and be prepared to take any precaution you need to insure the safety of others while using fireworks. Here at SeekingSitters, we wish you a fun and safe Fourth of July.

Filed Under: Safety & First Aid Tagged With: , , , , ,

Summer Safety Tips

May 5, 2012 Leave a Comment

There are many things about being a babysitter during the summer to look forward to including; taking the kids to the park, going swimming and going on bike rides.  Although all these activities are extremely fun, you must make sure to pack some necessary items to keep the kids you babysit safe during outdoor activities. The following is a list of items you need to pack in your babysitter bag this coming summer.

  • Sunblock
  • A bottle of Mosquito repellent
  • Band-aids
  • Neosporin
  • A couple of bottles of Gatorade
Along with having these items handy, you also need to take necessary precautions to keep the kids safe outdoors this summer. The following is a list of precautions you can take using the items in your babysitter bag to keep the kids safe.
  • Apply sunblock and/or mosquito repellent every 2 hours
  • Take regular Gatorade and water breaks
  • Do not leave the children unsupervised in the swimming pool
  • Do not let the children ride their bikes or skateboard without your supervision
This summer is going to be tons of fun especially when you babysit great kids. Just remember to take precautions and follow proper safety measures during outdoor activities. SeekingSitters wants to wish you a fun and safe summer!
Filed Under: Babysitting Tips, Safety & First Aid, Tips for Sitters Tagged With: , ,

Babysitting S.T.Y.L.E.- Check out this great book!

January 12, 2012 Leave a Comment

Babysitting S.T.Y.L.E.- A Complete Guide for Babysitting Success

Have you been looking for a great babysitting resource? Look no further! SeekingSitters has published a NEW book!

Babysitting S.T.Y.L.E.- A Complete Guide for Babysitting Success is a designed to educate parents and babysitters to help them protect children at home and online. Also, the book has craft ideas, Family Information Guide to provide information for babysitters, and Babysitting success tips.

SeekingSitters had a their first annual Sitter Scholarship Contest. Certified Professional Sitters nationwide could enter the Scholarship Contest by submitting a babysitting experience they have had while working through SeekingSitters. 20 stories were chosen for a Scholarship prize of $50.00 and one sitter story was chosen as the Grand Prize winner-winning $500.00! The Top 20 sitter stories can be found in the new book- each story is heartfelt and reflects how much SeekingSitters babysitters enjoy working in childcare.

The Babysitting S.T.Y.L.E. book is packed full of great babysitting tips and activities! You can purchase your copy for just $10.00 on BabysitterProducts.com!

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