How to babysit?

Question

Being a stay at home mum is definitely a full time job! So is being the baby sitter. I watch these girls of 6 and 8 all day (they are homeschooled) and they cannot entertain themselves without technology. When I am in the same room with them (basically all the time), they ask me questions non-stop (do you want to play this game, what are you doing, what time is it.) Usually I am exhausted by the end of the day from just sitting around doing nothing, trying to keep them entertained and constant questions. Usually they do go upstairs to play with the Lego for a bit, so I get a half hour break. Turns out today they secretly took their laptop and watched porn upstairs. This officially means that I cannot let them out of my sight for 1 minute, but it is just so exhausting! They don't listen to me either. Any tips from moms or baby sitters? How to survive?

Answer

Porn? First of all, I would talk to their parents about that. And you have to be creative and get them excited about things. Don't look at it as getting a break because there just is no such thing lol. When you're watching kids, it's a constant thing. You have to always be watching them. It's your job to entertain them. Make slime with them. Bake cookies with them and have them decorate. Take them to the craft store to pick some stuff up and then do it with them. Incorporate the technology into activities. Go on YouTube with them and look up some craft ideas. Let them pick out stuff they want to do and then do that.

Answer

They need to be on a schedule of some kind. I get this is babysitting and not a daycare type setting but I would definitely treat them as if they were in one. depending when and what times you watch them you can schedule "activities" at certain times (like making something with them like playdough, art projects ect. pinterest is great for finding stuff), schedule when their meals are/snack time, and find ways to encourage their independent play inside and outside. Outside may even be taking them to a neighborhood park. I'm not a mom but I'm an aunt and I'm a daycare worker and we go through a lot of this (not kids watching porn but I've overheard some disturbing conversations that I've had to speak to the child and parents about). Also they should get their devices on parental mode right away. When you are there, maybe at a designated tech time you can bring out their devices, otherwise I'd have them put somewhere only you can get to them to prevent this as well.

Answer

When I was babysitting older kids I had them have 1 hour of quiet time a day. They could read, watch tv, sleep whatever but they had to stay quiet and they couldn’t have any electronics other than the tv. If they didn’t do their hour of quiet time they didn’t get any sweets (their mom gave them one little Debbie cake/ bowl of ice cream ect a day ) 
You could try doing something like that
That hour was amazing for me to kinda gather myself back together lol

How to babysit?

The Top Baby Tracker App: Embrace New Beginnings with Tender Care

The Top Fertility Tracker App: Your Path to Achieving Pregnancy

The Top Pregnancy App: Nurturing Your Journey to Motherhood

The Top Period Tracker for Empowering Your Menstrual Health Journey