10 Rules for Sitters Bringing Homework With Them

It’s not unusual for teenage or college age sitters to bring their homework with them, but there are some rules that should be observed. Most of this is common sense. However, there may be a few things you wouldn’t normally think of. Unless you’re babysitting very active kids with no “down time”, there’s no reason you can’t do some multi-tasking and get some schoolwork done. If you plan to bring your homework to your next babysitting job, here are 10 rules you want to keep in mind.

1. Kids come first – Your primary duty is to take care of the children, so always remember that the kids come first. Make sure your homework isn’t distracting you from what you’re getting paid for. It’s great to have schoolwork to fill time, but it has to be secondary to the needs of the children.
2. Get ok from parents – It’s a good idea to get an ok from the parents first, instead of just showing up with your book bag. Some parents want to make sure the kids are getting your full attention at all times, since they’re paying for you to be there. Most parents are going to be just fine with it, but they’re your boss.
3. Keep away from food – This is just a common sense rule, but make sure you keep your homework away from food and beverages. You may want to fit in a little schoolwork while the kids are eating, but this could end up in disaster. Children are notoriously clumsy and you don’t want to hand in an assignment soaked in juice.
4. Wait until kids are asleep – The ideal time to get a little homework done is while the kids are asleep. This is normally the boring part of the job and a class assignment is a good way to fill the time. Just make sure you keep an ear on the children too.
5. Get kids occupied – If you’re sitting for older children who aren’t napping or going to bed, you’ll want to save homework for when they’re occupied with something else. You may want to bring a new game for them to play or movie to watch so you can get your schoolwork done.
6. Do homework together – Some parents want sitters who will also help the children with their homework. You can set a good example by doing your school assignments while they’re completing theirs. Just make sure you’re ready to set your own work aside when they need your help.
7. Keep out of reach – Another good rule is to keep your homework out of the reach of tiny hands. Toddlers won’t hesitate to rip, rumple or otherwise destroy your paperwork if given the chance.
8. Don’t get too engrossed – It can be easy to get so preoccupied with your homework that you forget about the kids. This could end in disaster so avoid it at all costs. Bring simple assignments that don’t take your full attention and leave the more difficult ones for when you’re on your own time.
9. Get kids to help – You may actually have an opportunity to have the kids help with your homework, so involve them whenever you can. They’ll feel good that you value their input and their active imaginations could help you think of things you wouldn’t have come up with on your own.
10. Don’t forget it – The last rule to remember is not to forget your homework when you leave. Parents complain that this happens all the time and it’s a pain in the rear for everyone. It could also be very embarrassing if they start reading your assignments.

Since most sitters are school age, it stands to reason that babysitting and homework tend to go hand-in-hand. Most parents don’t have a problem with it and some actually expect their sitter to bring some schoolwork with them. It shows they are conscientious, studious and mature. By observing a few common sense rules, both babysitting and homework can be mutually inclusive.

Taken From Babysitting Jobs