Notes to future babysitters

We had an interesting weekend to say the least.

The babies got to experience their first time with a non family or good friend of the family babysitter. I have to say, I was incredibly nervous. I had met this young lady, she was very even keel and nice. I was still worried for no apparent reason - I think I just like to worry. Everything went as good as could be expected.

Despite having given her a long list of notes, there were a few things I forgot to mention.

1 - Always close the gates.
Maybe with one baby, this is not as big of a deal. But with two, it's essential. I guess my daughter was crying - the babysitter picked her up. She carried her into the kitchen to give her a cookie. While walking into the kitchen, the babysitter left the gate open. Living with these two every day - this is one of the things I just know. If you leave the gate open, my son loves running into the kitchen (which he usually doesn't get to do). Even as I type this, I can see the smile he usually gets and the little dance he does.

So she struggled getting my son out of the kitchen while carrying my daughter.

As a side note - I'm so used to dealing with two babies - that I forget that people don't automatically know how to handle two. It's rough. I forget that it's a learned skill.

2 - Turn on your cell phone with care.
I also forgot to mention that my son is obsessed with cell phones. He loves any real phone. Yes, he knows the difference between a real cell phone and the numerous fake plastic phones he and his sister own. He has been known to find the real phone (usually out of his reach) and call random relatives and friends - leaving ten minute voice messages consisting of "da da" and heavy breathing. So, it's not surprising to me that he threw a fit when the babysitter turned on her cell phone. This is the same little boy who throws a tantrum when I'm talking on the phone - he has something to say.

3 - Be prepared to watch Ralph's World. A lot.
Some well meaning friends of my in laws purchased this dvd for my children. My kids love it. Having listened to it and watched it more times than I want to think about - I'm not a fan. The babysitter told me they watched it not one, but two times. She has my sympathies.

4 - Do not let my son near the computer
Yes, my two love the computer. I think it's a fascination with everything that adults like that kids can't have. (They also love coffee cups, diet coke and beer bottles). My two love banging on the keyboard. They try to move the mouse. Not only that, but there are websites geared to kids as young as they are (believe it or not). Noggin.com has the characters they love, 24/7.

This, by the way, is how we arrived home. Watching my pajama clad son running into the computer room - with the babysitter chasing soon after.

So we may have legitimately frightened away our first non family babysitter. And - believe me - it is not easy to find non family babysitters. I have no idea how people who don't attend churches or have friends with lots of kids find babysitters. Any suggestions are welcome.

The other reason we won't do this again any time soon is that my son woke up at 1:20 in the morning crying. This is out of character because he and his sister are both excellent sleepers. Despite various attempts to soothe him - he cried for two hours.

Note - he stopped crying and fell asleep as soon as he was held by his father or me. He wasn't sick, wet, or other typical causes of night time waking. Our current theory is that he was feeling abandoned. My mother in law commented that my husband is being paid back in spades - as he was very guilty of this as a baby. My response is that it's not just my husband who is being paid back - I'm not getting any sleep either!

Needless to say, I was wondering around 3 Sunday morning - how I did this when they were newborn?