It might not have crossed your mind but it could be very beneficially to have a Logbook for your babysitter. This could include a variety of information and might help you get organised. A Logbook allows you and your babysitter to communicate effectively. This would allow you to keep track of what your child has eaten while you have been away and what they have done. Did they have their daily nap at 2 pm or did they miss it? This information can be told to you once you are back but sometimes you forget information or are too rushed to take it all in. If the information is written down it will make everything a lot easier. I am going to discuss some tips as to what to include in this Logbook and how it can make things easier.

1. Eating Habits: To have this written down is very useful especially with younger children. If the babysitter makes note of what they ate, what time and how much, then you can keep an eye on their eating habits. You can see if they are having a balanced diet and if they have any known allergies these can be notes down here. With children, they can also react to food sometimes and so it is good to know what they have eaten even if you haven´t been there. This also allows you to see if their daily schedule is staying the same because things can change as they grow up.
2. Sleep: Notes on what time they get up, any naps they had and what time they went to bed are important things to know. So if your babysitter is around for any of those times of the day then they should make notes on this. Knowing this information allows you to check they are getting enough sleep and see if they are in a routine this can mean that at bedtime they can sleep easier.

3. Toilet time: This is only for younger children but it is good to keep track of when they have gone to the toilet and if there have been any issues. If children are getting toilet trained take note of what progress they have made and know their schedule.
4. Problems: Made note of any problems that might have occurred. After a busy day, certain problems might slip the babysitters mind so the information might not be passed along. Keeping track of them allows you to monitor and manage them easier. Then the babysitter doesn´t have to mention them all when you get back.

5. What have they done today? Including information on what activities, homework or games they have done helps keep track of their progress too. You don’t want to write the problems down only. Talk about if they have done anything exciting.
6. Milestones: As children grow a lot of milestones are reached, big or small. If these milestones are written down not only can you make sure you know what happened but you can also look back at the progress they have made in the future.
7. Medication: If the child is poorly or needs regular medication it´s good to have the information written down. Keeping track of dosage and time is vital for correct care. Having everything written down will also help you remember when the last dose was given in case you forget, making everything easier.

If you have seen our previous blog post discussing ‘how to prepare your babysitter’ we talked about having an emergency contact book. This could be included in the front of the logbook so everything is kept in one place. Also, this would be handy if one day you need a replacement babysitter due to someone being ill. You could simply give them the logbook so they have all the emergency contact details and information on the children’s routine.

Also, if the children are old enough they could write some information about what they did themselves. This would encourage them to reflect on what they have done while practising their English writing skills. You do need to be careful not to ask for too much when having a logbook. You can’t expect the babysitter to write loads because they will be busy looking after your children but by having key points written down will make things a little easier. The key is to find a balance!

So I hope that this post has helped you see the advantages of having a logbook and that maybe with your next babysitter you might suggest starting to use one. Hope you have a great weekend and until next week.