Guest Author - Melissa Weise

Getting to know a new family can be chaotic. Depending on the situation, you may not have a lot of time to ask questions. Sometimes parents need to run out the door right away and other times getting the kids used to you can take up a chunk of time you would like to use asking questions.

But the truth is, parents like a babysitter who can show that he or she is prepared and responsible and asking the right questions can demonstrate this. And if parents think that you are responsible you are more likely to be asked back and have a chance to make even more money.

For many teens, babysitting is a great source of money. Print out this checklist of questions to ask every family. That way, you will never forget to ask all the important questions before taking care of the tots, show the parents you are responsible and thoughtful and build a great list of “client” families. Just cut and paste the list below into a wordprocessing program like Microsoft Word. Print it out and fill it out for each family you babysit and keep the lists for future reference.


Parents’ names.

Kids’ names and ages

Do the kids have any allergies that you should know about?

Address (to give to your parents and if you need to call emergency services).

Phone number (to give to your parents)

House rules for babysitters.
Is it okay to eat the food in the house?

Is it okay to use the phone?

Remember, always assume is it not okay to invite friends over.


House rules for the kids.
When is bedtime?

If parents are going to be out past bedtime, will you be putting the kids to bed?

If so, what is the bedtime ritual- baths, reading books, singing songs, etc -?

Are there certain places the kids are not allowed to be?

Are there certain things the kids are not allowed to use or touch?

Are there any animals you will need to care for or know about?
About the kids
Are there any behavioral issues that the kids have?

If this is more than one child, how do they get along?

What are their favorite activities?

What is it okay to feed them?

Do they take any medicine that you need to know about?