Works For Me: Babysitter Instructions

Sorry, y'all, but it's another Works-For-Me Wednesday from the archives--I am smack dab in the middle of an unusually busy week.  The following post was originally published in August 2006:

I keep a typed (in bold colors), laminated list on my desk.  The paper is entitled Babysitter Information, and on it is every phone number imaginable for any sitters who come to our house.  It includes our home number, both our cell phone numbers and Hubs' office number.  It contains our home address (at the very top, to give to a 9-1-1 operator, *shudder*), and the phone numbers of all our neighbors and nearby friends, as well as grandparents.   That way, when I'm leaving in a hurry (which I always am whenever I hire a sitter, for some reason), I don't have to write it all out each time.  I feel confident knowing our sitter has access to so many numbers, should she need them (which, incidentally, she never has).

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Next week, Wednesday falls on Independence Day.  With a beg-your-pardon to the international crowd, we Americans will be taking the day off--no WFMW around here.  We'll resume July 11th. 

If you have a handy-dandy tip to share with everyone, please leave your link below.  WFMW guidelines can be found here.

1. OW (melt down) 2. Jilll (menu planning) 3. The Building Brows (awesome tampon/pad alternative) 4. The Lazy Organizer (Photo Tips) 5. Sincerely Anna (Patient Preschooler?) 6. Jordan @ MamaBlogga (blog visitors staying longer) 7. A Juggling Mum (Podcasts) 8. Elaine (kids\' pretend cooking) 9. Barbara H. (Verifying Founding Fathers\' quotes) 10. Mrs. Pear (Mnging Recipe Collection) 11. Org Junkie (consolidate) 12. Shauna (an amusing toddler tracker) 13. Shalee - Dinosaur Eyeballs 14. diatribal (Dustbust Your Swiffer) 15. Chrystal (Sneaking In/Using Up Carrots) 16. The Pumkin Patch(Fave Kitchen Gadget) 17. Scaling Back (shade eyes from sun in car) 18. Cherish The Home (Inside View/Outside View) 19. Owlhaven (great camcorder) 20. Mommy Babble (painting fun) 21. momrn2 (Ice for the Cooler) 22. Mom Is Teaching (make your own fashion) 23. Rebecca Mielke (variable weather dressing) 24. The Preacher\'s Wife (recycling Glade Plug In Cartridges) 25. NspiredByFaith (Never be WITHOUT!) 26. Lori - Queen of Dirty Laundry (Cheap Labels) 27. Jennifer (clean fingernails-kids) 28. Many Little Blessings (Showing Appreciation for Your Spouse) 29. Alexandra/Backyard Pool Tips 30. Emily (Baby Wise) 31. Robin (ordering flowers) 32. The Traveling Family (day trips) 33. Autumn Daisy Studio (Home Photo Shoot Tips) 34. Corrie (kids\' snacks) 35. Stuck In North Idaho (kids sleep) 36. Nancy\'s Place (TopSecretRecipes.com) 37. Liza\'s Eyeview (Family Night Fun) 38. Jenny (Diaper bag supplies basket) 39. It Coulda Been Worse (Free Drain Unclogger) 40. Organising Queen (remembering pills)

41. Mummymac(Steamy mirrors??) 42. Lizzie at Lizzie\'s Home (crayon and pencil clutter) 43. Mom in Action (5 for price of 1) 44. Just in Case- Peanut Butter Jars 45. reprehriestless warillever (15-minute siesta) 46. Amy (Extra Work Space) 47. Choosing Voluntary Simplicity (Quick Clean) 48. 100 Acre Wood (hiccups) 49. SeaBird (Classical Music for Kids) 50. Mary (a silly song helps) 51. Beth/Mom2TwoVikings (squeezing out unexpected $) 52. Rachel (Organizing meds & supplements) 53. Kerry (throw rugs) 54. Jennie C. (instant sweet tea) 55. Everyday Mommy (Cake Cover) 56. Ann@normalw8s (no spill drinks) 57. ellen b ~goodwill :) 58. Michelle (removing hard water stains) 59. Cara (keep the baby cool) 60. Jessica -- CVS Pharmacy 61. kathy (frugal drawer organizer) 62. Sheri(HealthyChoices) 63. Tracy (paint brush) 64. Girl Gone Wild (Odds and Ends) 65. Cheri- road trips with kids 66. Jennie C. (instant sweet tea) 67. Amy W (using up bananas) 68. Juggling Frogs (identifying sandals) 69. Beth@sportsmomma (reading and math for the kiddos) 70. Sarah (Honesty/GIVEAWAY) 71. Aubrey (Saving Lives) 72. MC Milker (Homemade Butter) 73. At Home with Kris (budgeting tip) 74. Elena ta da list 75. Homeschool Mama (Super Cheap Disney Shirts!) 76. built to last (cheap foaming hand soap) 77. Lana G!-(No Tangle Jewelry) 78. Tons of Sons ~ baseboard cleaning for kids 79. Happy House Quilts - Paint the Deck! 80. T with Honey (Block Ice)

81. Sunydazy-Easy Girl\'s Dresses 82. Melissa Wiley (peanut butter sandwich basket) 83. GP in Montana-gardening 84. Ann Kroeker (Outlook for everything) 85. Song of the Sagebrush (Summer Shape Up 2) 86. DHM (one of my \'kitchen maids\') 87. Lori (Unkind Words) 88. Photojenic (Car Game) 89. Photojenic (Protect Online Photos) 90. My Twenty Cents Keeps Moving(family history) 91. Andie (countdown & playdough help) 92. Karen (more kids\' storage) 93. Chelsea (Household Notebook) 94. halfmoon girl 95. Ewokgirl (youth lessons) 96. Andrea 97. Stay at Home in Suburbia (summer plans for kids) 98. ellen b. ~classy cleaning 99. Amy (getting in the car) 100. Heather (Scripture Memory) 101. Mique- activity schedule 102. Stephanie (Never running out of Essentials) 103. Ribbon Rock Star (Very simple hair bow to make) 104. Jennifer, Snapshot (Free Kids\' Movies) 105. Meg(you REALLY need to look at this) 106. Dawn (List of Accomplishments) 107. Kim - Fresh Smelling Sheets 108. Amy (Online Silly Fun) 109. Mama Says (Sibling Rivalry) 110. My Simple Life (Lora) 111. Callista (Chores with Toddlers) 112. Karen (fever tracking) 113. Ann Megill (container gardening) 114. kathy (clean trash cans) 115. :: Suzanne :: (rocks in my tomatoes) 116. Jen-Swiffer Vaccum 117. Totallyscrappy (Road Trip Tip) 118. livin4Him6 ( Journaling the Journey--Cancer)

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Comments

[Brandy of The Building Brows]

Shannon,

Mr. Linky isn't appearing. Only html coding within your post.

[Jill]

Staying up way past my bedtime was so worth it to be first. I am a little too sleepy to celebrate.

[Overwhelmed With Joy!]

I have something similar, only it's a pad of babysitter sheets. My grandma-in-law gave it to us. It's got space for all the pertinent info and we have it filled out before the sitter arrives.

[Brandy of The Building Brows]

Nevermind about Mr. Linky. He's working now. :)

Great idea about the Babysitter Information laminated list.

Brandy of The Building Brows

[Cat]

A friend of mine has a sheet like this that also includes the doctors phone numbers for every person in the household, dentists, plumber, neighbors, etc! I think she has it handy for herself to use on a regular basis, and not just for the babysitter. Great idea!

[Chrystal]

Thanks again for hosting this wonderful hodge-podge of ideas from all of women dying to share our ideas.

I look forward to Wednesdays just because of this!

[NspiredByFaith]

Great idea!! Thanks for sharing!

[momrn2]

I posted an archived "re-run" as well. I figured with summer here and the 4th next week it couldn't hurt.

Plus, like you, life's just plain busy right now! Nice to know I'm in such great company! :-)

[Corrie]

Good tip - laminating would end up saving me some toner money.

[warillever]

I have a similar list, starting with our own address and phone number, posted next to the telephone at all times. I also have the same list shrunk down to a 4-point font on the back of a business card in my wallet. I don't trust myself if there is an emergency.

[Mary@notbefore7]

Thanks! This is my first one - great idea.

[Kerry (throw rugs)]

Another great Wednesday!

[ellen b]

I don't think you need to apologize for digging anything out of the archives. Thanks for taking 4th of July off, too. You deserve the break! blessings...

[Jennie C.]

Oops! I put in the wrong link! Sorry to anyone who's looking for sweet tea and ends up in my bathroom!

[Leigh]

Great idea! I don't do babysitters ('cause I have a fifteen-year-old. I have one built in!) but I'm thinking of making a list like this for my daughter. She knows most of the numbers, but I wonder if in an emergency she would go blank. I'm quite sure that I would, so maybe I'll just make the list for me! LOL

[Heather L.]

I used to do this, too. I need to make an updated one. Does that tell you that my hubby needs to take me out more or what?

On mine, I also included the kids' birthdates and weights in the horrifying unlikely event that medication needs to be administered.

Thanks for the reminder and thanks for hosting!

[Juggling Frogs (clkl)]

We have something similar, but it's a whole book of sheet protectors, with maps, insurance information, family members' names, birth certificates, medical forms, school schedules, etc. I call it the [name of our family] Instruction Manual. The first pages have the babysitter info.

We so rarely use a sitter, that it is important to have this information gathered beforehand. We use it constantly, even without a babysitter! It helps, because the kids know how to find the information in case of emergency.

I've told them, that if possible, if they have to leave the house in an emergency, to take the book with them.

Have a great Independence Day!

[stephanie]

Thanks Shannon! Now we just need to find a sitter...

[Amanda]

I think you should do WFMW: Tueday, 4th of July edition... and us internationalites could post about Canada Day and such and what makes it work for us... our celebrations.

[Jodi]

*I* need a laminated card in every room!!! I am always forgetting why I walked into it!!! Have a Happy Day!!!

[Photojenic]

For things I need to reuse for a while, but don't need laminated, I often slip them into page protectors and then tape them up using blue painters tape. This is great especially for things that change a lot, like calendars, phone numbers, etc.

[andie]

I love WFMW...it's so great to get ideas from other moms!!!!
Blessings-Andie

[Mommy Zabs]

This is great! I'm going to do it this week!
Thanks!
-mommyzabs

[Chelsea]

Great idea! I think I'll make something like it for our house.

[Laura]

We wrote all our important numbers on a bright yellow sheet and placed it in a see-through but waterproof section of our diaper bag.

[Halfmoon Girl]

This is a great idea- i need to update my list.

[Andrea]

OOPS! I forgot to put what my tip was!! It's freezing bananas, sorry all!
We do that, too, for our babysitters. It makes everyone feel a WHOLE LOT better!

[[email protected]]

I love getting ideas from other WFMW moms - I need to work on getting into this earlier :)

[Joo]

Thanks so much - a great idea, your list. And I love me some WFMW!

[:: Suzanne ::]

Added my tomato tip.