How to Manage Kids Schedules with Caregivers

As a first time mom, it was so anxiety inducing to leave my baby with a relative or babysitter. Would the babysitter follow my routine exactly? Would my baby sleep well for them? What will they be like when I get back?

Not to mention how complicated it is to explain wake windows! “If the baby sleeps for less than an hour do this” “if they wake up at this time, count exactly 2 hours and 15 minutes until you start to put them down again”

It can be really overwhelming!

Photo by Kelli McClintock on Unsplash

But as comfortable as it is to just stay home with your baby, it’s important to leave them with caregivers some times for a variety of reasons. Here are some ways I learned to make this easier for everyone:

1.    Write out a schedule

Whatever you do – do not expect anyone to remember your schedule. Schedules that seem really simple to us, might be complex for your caregiver. Write it out so they can consult it as needed and you can rest easy knowing everyone has resources if they have questions.

2.    Ask them to text you wake up times to determine wake windows

I always found the hardest part of leaving my babies with a babysitter during the day was to explain how to count a wake window. To solve this, I asked my caregiver to text me at the time my baby woke up and I would text them back whatever the next nap time would be. This keeps me up to date on how long they’ve slept, and my caregiver doesn’t need to do any fancy calculations to know when to put them down to sleep next! 

3.    Walk them through a routine

If possible, before leaving my baby with someone, I’d have them shadow how I go through my routines so that they have an idea of how it looks. It’s really the easiest way to explain what needs to be done, especially if you like to have things done in a certain way.

4.    Give them a protocol for night wakings

I give my babysitters guidelines on how to deal with a night waking if I’m entrusting them with a babysitter overnight. Often, the advice is just to call me and I will advise over the phone. If I am unavailable, I give them steps to take so they know how to handle the situation.

While its not always easy to leave our babies with babysitters, it’s important that we have people we trust that can take care of our kids whenever we need it. Developing a way to communicate with your caregiver so that they can facilitate good sleep will leave everyone with the peace of mind to know that your child is their best self even when you’re not around. As always, for more tips, tricks and strategies, contact us at Nighttime Heroes Sleep Schedule Coaching.