panda_incognito's review
4.0
This book has charming illustrations and is filled with practical, no-nonsense advice for babysitting children of different ages. The edition that I own came packed with bonus materials, such as themed paper for making businesses cards, and the whole set is really cute.
The guide is well-organized, going through different developmental stages and common issues that babysitters will face. The book also briefly addresses some ethical questions, such as what you're allowed to independently eat or watch in the family's home, and covers a few emergency preparedness situations. The book clearly conveys that it isn't a suitable replacement for a babysitting certification, but is definitely a handy guide.
Just reading about the emergency situations made my heart race, confirming why I never offered my babysitting services as a tween and teenager. (I took care of my siblings, and I provided childcare for church functions, but the only time I was solely responsible for children other than my siblings was during college, with a family I really liked from church.) This book can help girls prepare for babysitting, and can also help weed out those who think that this sounds terrifying, or like way too much work.
I have only two critiques. One is that the author never mentioned talking with the children's parents to establish consistent screen time limits. She encourages bringing favorite DVDs from home, which is a good idea, but she should have told her readers to talk with the parents in advance about what's allowed, and for how long, especially with older kids who may want to bend the usual rules while their parents are away.
Also, the section about helping children go to the bathroom needed to explicitly state that it is never okay to directly touch a child's private parts. It's an uncomfortable subject, and preteen girls aren't a likely demographic to molest children, but it still needs to be said, especially since there's always the risk that a girl will touch a child "down there" while handling bathroom issues without realizing she can't. The author should warn against this, even if if it's just to protect naive and innocent girls from doing something they'll feel terrible about later, once they understand more.
The guide is well-organized, going through different developmental stages and common issues that babysitters will face. The book also briefly addresses some ethical questions, such as what you're allowed to independently eat or watch in the family's home, and covers a few emergency preparedness situations. The book clearly conveys that it isn't a suitable replacement for a babysitting certification, but is definitely a handy guide.
Just reading about the emergency situations made my heart race, confirming why I never offered my babysitting services as a tween and teenager. (I took care of my siblings, and I provided childcare for church functions, but the only time I was solely responsible for children other than my siblings was during college, with a family I really liked from church.) This book can help girls prepare for babysitting, and can also help weed out those who think that this sounds terrifying, or like way too much work.
I have only two critiques. One is that the author never mentioned talking with the children's parents to establish consistent screen time limits. She encourages bringing favorite DVDs from home, which is a good idea, but she should have told her readers to talk with the parents in advance about what's allowed, and for how long, especially with older kids who may want to bend the usual rules while their parents are away.
Also, the section about helping children go to the bathroom needed to explicitly state that it is never okay to directly touch a child's private parts. It's an uncomfortable subject, and preteen girls aren't a likely demographic to molest children, but it still needs to be said, especially since there's always the risk that a girl will touch a child "down there" while handling bathroom issues without realizing she can't. The author should warn against this, even if if it's just to protect naive and innocent girls from doing something they'll feel terrible about later, once they understand more.
candide_woodard's review
5.0
This book helped me........alot! My little sisters and I play the games it contains and i will use this book in my babysitting future!
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