The Ultimate Grandparents’ Emergency Babysitting Checklist

THE ULTIMATE GRANDPARENTS’ EMERGENCY
BABYSITTING CHECKLIST
© 2020 Grandma Communications LLC

Your child just asked that you babysit in your home one or more infant, toddler, or young school-age grandchildren for an overnight, a long weekend, several weeks, or longer, or during the day every day for an indefinite period of time while schools and day care centers are closed. You are healthy and have spent time with each grandchild while a parent is present or even overnight at the grandchild’s home. Now you must go it alone in your home.

How do you prepare?

We hope this checklist will save you time and stress and sustain your confidence.

Prepare Yourself As If To Run a Marathon:

1. Prepare comfortable, loose fitting clothing wearable for activity, childcare, and your naps when possible.
2. Reduce sugar, salt, caffeine, alcoholic beverage, and other controlled substance intake.
3. Increase low fat protein, fresh vegetables and fruits, and carbohydrate intake.
4. Increase water intake: hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.
5. Exercise, exercise, exercise.
6. Get 8-10 hours sleep each night for as many nights as possible before the babysitting marathon begins.
7. Practice taking deep breaths and other strategies to increase your patience and your stress and noise tolerance level.
8. Look at yourself in the mirror and say three times, “I can do this.”

Prepare Memorandum of Essential Contacts and Other Information:

Have a parent complete for you in advance the Sitter’s Memorandum.

Equip Your Home For Your Grandchild:

   Infant Grandchild:

1. Bassinette or, for older infant, Pack ‘n Play® or other playpen usable as a crib with more than ample supply of fitted sheets.
2. Changing table (a sturdy large box filled with heavy paper or packing material covered by a tablecloth or sheet and a changing pad works), diaper bag, and more than ample supply of diapers, baby wipes, cotton, and cornstarch.
3. Highchair or portable booster seat.
4. Covers for all electrical outlets and locks for toilet seats and all cabinets and drawers three feet or less from the ground.
5. Cleanable formula bottles and nipples.
6. Baby bottle cleaner or large pot for boiling bottles; bottle cleaning brush.
7. Baby shampoo, body soap, lotion, ointment, and sunscreen.
8. Plastic baby bath bowl.
9. Baby nail clippers and soft hairbrush.
10. Infant thermometer, OTC inflammation drug, and nasal aspirator, as provided or directed by parent.
11. More than ample supply of soft cotton gowns or tops, swaddle blankets, and bibs for young infant, and socks or tights, tops and pants or skirts, or dresses, for older infant.
12. Bleach wipes to clean counter tops; nightlight; flashlight; batteries.
13. Hand sanitizer and moisturizer.
14. Nitrile gloves if your skin becomes dry and cracked from frequent washing with soap or hand sanitizer.
15. Formula, bottled water, and, if the child is ready, baby cereal, strained food, nibbles, juice, milk or milk substitute, and medications, as provided or directed by parent (considering, for example, child’s allergies and food preferences).
16. Baby play mat, mobile, and walker.
17. Pacifier, cuddling squeaky toy, rattle, and baby blanket, as provided or directed by parent.
18. Soft cover brightly colored baby books, interactive toys, and age-appropriate music, as provided or directed by parent.
19. Sweater, jacket, snowsuit, or other outdoor wear, and tote bag.
20. Carriage, or, for older infant, stroller with rain cover.
21. If you expect to transport the child in your automobile, installed age- and size/weight-appropriate car seat.
22. Lunch/snack bag for day care or preschool.

   Toddler Grandchild:

1. Low height bed (a small sofa or loveseat turned with the front facing the wall works), sheets, blanket, and pillow. Pack ‘n Play® or other playpen usable as a crib may work until child can climb out of it.
2. If child is not toilet trained, see item 2 under Infant Grandchild. If child is being toilet trained, then also a poddy chair or poddy toilet seat.
3. Portable booster seat or toddler table and chairs.
4. If child is still drinking from bottle, see items 5 and 6 under Infant Grandchild.
   If child is transitioning to a cup, then a few sippy cups and small plastic cups.
5. See items 4, 7, 12-14, and 19-22 under Infant Grandchild.
6. Rider to attach to back of stroller for toddler while younger child sits in stroller.
7. Child toothbrush, toothpaste, nail clippers, and hairbrush.
8. Child thermometer and OTC inflammation drug, as provided or directed by parent.
9. Shoes or sneakers, boots in cold weather, and more than ample supply of socks or tights, tops and pants or skirts, or dresses, and, if child is being toilet trained, then training underpants, or, if child is toilet trained, then underpants, as well as special clothing and footwear for pre-school or activities such as gymnastics and dance classes.
10. Milk or milk substitute, bottled water, juice, food for meals and snacks, and medications, as provided or directed by parent (considering, for example, child’s allergies and food preferences).
11. Plastic plates, bowls, and utensils.
12. Teething ring or toy.
13. Favorite stuffed toys, blanket, and any other bedtime or nap time entourage.
14. Age appropriate cardboard books, games, puzzles, books of mazes and dot-to-dot pictures, doll, toy truck or car, rubber ball, recorders and other musical devices, other toys, and age appropriate music, as provided or directed by parent.
15. Washable crayons and markers, finger paints and paper, coloring books, drawing paper, colored construction paper, tracing paper, easel, water color paints and paper, chalk board, colored chalk, nontoxic dry erase markers, chalk and dry erase marker eraser, school paste, dull point plastic scissors, Play-Doh® or kinetic sand, and other art supplies, as provided or directed by parent.

   Young School-age Grandchild:

1. Bed or large sofa, sheets, blanket, and pillow.
2. See items 12-14, 19, and 21-22 under Infant Grandchild.
3. Child toothbrush, toothpaste, nail clippers, and hairbrush.
4. Child thermometer and OTC inflammation drug, as provided or directed by parent.
5. Shoes or sneakers, boots in cold weather, and more than ample supply of socks or tights, tops and pants or skirts, or dresses, underpants, and uniforms or other special clothing and footwear for school or activities such as sports, gymnastics, and dance classes.
6. Milk or milk substitute, bottled water, juice, food for meals and snacks, and medications, as provided or directed by parent (considering, for example, child’s allergies and food preferences).
7. Favorite stuffed toys, blanket, and any other bedtime or nap time entourage.
8. Musical instrument, if child is learning that instrument.
9. Age appropriate books, games (including cards, checkers, and chess), puzzles, books of mazes, dot-to-dot pictures, and word searches, doll, toy truck or car, balls and other sports equipment, recorders and other musical devices, other toys, and age-appropriate music, as provided or directed by parent.
10. Washable crayons and markers, scratch off books, drawing paper, colored construction paper, tracing paper, easel, water color and other paints and painting paper, chalk board, colored chalk, nontoxic dry erase markers, chalk and dry erase marker eraser, school paste, children’s scissors, Play-Doh® or kinetic sand, and other art supplies, as provided or directed by parent.
11. Backpack for school.

Most Important Steps:

1. Remember that you are special. Relax and have fun with your grandchildren!
2. Please contact us to let us know your suggestions for additions or changes to this Checklist or the Sitter’s Memorandum.

Happy grandparenting!
Grandma Communications LLC