Babysitting Bad Behavior Hacks

My first babysitting job was so much harder than I expected. It wasn’t because the kids were projectile puking or getting in a food fight in the middle of the kitchen. They just refused to listen to anything I said.

I’d ask them to eat their dinner, and they refused. It was pizza! What kid refuses to eat pizza? (Side note: other than getting paid at the end of the job, I love when my employers order us pizza for dinner!) When it was bedtime – the same bedtime they have with their parents every single night – they acted as if I had no idea what was going on and told me they didn’t have a bedtime.

It was a rough job and after that job, I wasn’t very confident in my babysitting skills. I thought, “Maybe I’m just not cut out to be a babysitter. Maybe I should explore pet sitting. At least Fluffy the cat can’t talk back!” But I’m a Safe Sitter®. I was equipped with the knowledge, practice, and tools I needed to be the BEST babysitter.

So, I didn’t give up. Instead, I learned some bad behavior hacks that literally saved my life as a babysitter. And, made the kids like me and respect me. It was a win across the board. Check out my video on bad behavior hacks. You might want to take some notes on this video and keep them handy for your next babysitting job. Trust me, you’ll thank me later!

Babysitting bad behavior hacks.

My first babysitting experience was a disaster. I mean, the kids were little monsters. They didn’t listen to anything I said. And I just thought, maybe I just suck at babysitting.

After a couple of rough starts, I realized that kids are just kids. And it was up to me, the babysitter, to learn how to manage them. Luckily, I learned a few babysitting hacks to get kids to behave. And today, I’m going to share them with you.

If you have a problem with these kids acting up, try this. Figure out what’s really wrong with them and comfort them. You get hangry, right? So does the preschooler you’re watching. Never underestimate the power of a well-timed snack.

Also, little kids need naps. And they get really cranky if they’re tired. Remember to ask their parent about naptime, and for the love of all that’s holy, make sure they get that nap.

Distract them. Kids cry. A lot. You may think you can reason with them about why they’re crying, but yeah, good luck with that. But it’s pretty easy to distract them from whatever it is that’s upsetting them. Just ask them about their favorite game or toy. This works for older kids too. Just be prepared for a long conversation about their Minecraft village.

If they have to do something they don’t want to do, like clean up their toys or get ready for bed, make a game out of it. You can also promise them something fun as a reward once they finish a toy.

When you pick up your toys, then we can watch a movie. Okay.

Give them choices. You don’t like it when parents and teachers constantly tell you what to do. So, don’t be bossy to the kids you’re babysitting. Find a way to give them choices. Even if it’s about things that aren’t very fun.

Take a break, start over. Some people call this a time-out, but I like to think of it as a do-over. Kids appreciate the chance to start over, so stay calm, and tell them that you want them to take a break for a few minutes. Three minutes for a 3-year-old, four minutes for a 4-year-old, you get the idea. Then say, Let’s start over.

Babysitting doesn’t have to be disastrous. Use these bad behavior hacks and I promise you’ll be a Babysitter Boss before you know it.

Check out more Babysitter Boss videos.

For more examples of how to use these hacks, check out our Behavior Tips.

Take a Safe Sitter® class and learn more child care skills. Find a class near you!