Babysitting for Friends? Signing a Contract is Important

You may think that it is your friends that you will be babysitting for, so why should you even bother writing up a contract. But you will be surprised at how many friendships are lost because many people fail to put things into writing. It really is a very simple process and it will definitely save you a lot of headaches and stress in the long run. Even though everyone involved may have good and loving intentions that are many problems that can occur with all of us. For example a person may lose their job and be unable to pay you for work all ready done. If there is no written agreement, then real problems could arise.

When it comes to caring for another person’s child a lot of thing need to be outlined in a baby sitting contract. First if it is an infant you are caring for you need to have a written feeding schedule from the parents. It may also be a good idea to include in the contract that you will provide some type of a written journal. This journal could include what time the baby was feed, how many diapers they went through, and various things that the baby may have done throughout the day.

You will also want to include in your contract whether or not the child is in need of any medication and if so what times this medication should be given, and in what form. This is something that must be clearly written by the parents. This way if something were to occur you can protect yourself and them as well. It is possible that your friend may be a little offended at first when you mention writing up a contract. But if you explain to them why you feel it is important to have one, they are sure to agree with you. Especially if you explain that it is for the safety of their child.

Another thing that you will want to make sure that you put in the contract is that you will make sure to inform the parent at least a week or so in advance when you will be taking their child out of your home. Even if it is just to the park, the parents have a right to know where their children are at all times. It is also a good idea to check with the parents first before planning any outings. For example if you were thinking about planning a trip to the zoo, it may be something that the parents wanted to do with them. When it comes to contracts you need to put everything discussed between you and the parents down in writing. After your discussion it would be best to type up the agreement or have someone else type it up for you.

This will ensure that there is no problem with reading someones handwriting. After you have typed it up make sure that both you and the parents have a copy. Have them read through it one final time and make sure that nothing is left out. Then both you and them should sign the contract and date it. Once this is done the contract is a legal document and the agreement is final. You should make sure that you file your copy in a safe place that can be found when needed.