
		Ask Vicky
	"What if I don't feel comfortable with the family I'm sitting for?" You should never put yourself in a situation you're uncomfortable with. Every sitter and family will not be a perfect match. You will find your sitting events will be more enjoyable if you work to find families that match your skill set. "What if a family doesn't tip me at the end of the night?" Tips are encouraged but not necessary. If a family doesn't tip you, don't get discouraged as some families and others won't. It's not necessarily an indication that you did a poor job. Remember to always do the best job possible and conduct yourself in a professional manner whether you receive gratuity or not. "What do you do when you are working for a family who has different beliefs than you?" Having the job of "nanny" or "babysitter" and getting to be a part of another family's lives can be an absolute blessing. Every family has a different personality and you as a sitter will need to make sure you will be happy working in that type of family. Having different beliefs than a family does not necessarily mean you are not a great fit for that family but you will have to actively make the choice to keep your activities and interactions with the children in line with exactly what those parents are wanting. Drastic differences in beliefs could lead to unhappiness on both sides so it is always good to keep evaluating whether or not you are a great fit for that specific family. "How do you handle babysitting children with a big age and developmental difference?" Having an older and younger child together at a babysitting job can be a blessing because you will have an automatic helper! Including both children in each activity can sometimes take creativity but it is not impossible. An older sibling can feed their stuffed animals while you are feeding their baby brother. A toddler can do well supervised, simplified versions of craft projects that a Kindergartener might be doing. Any younger child will want to be included in what the "big kids" are doing and this is a great way for little ones to make steps in their development and for older kids to be great role models. As always, enjoy your Safe Babysitting Jobs! “What do I do if I simply can’t get the kids I’m watching to behave?” First, don’t yell. Yelling or showing anger will only upset the children and add to the already out of hand emotions. As a professional sitter, you can’t let your temper get the best of you. Use a calm voice and try not to act as a disciplinarian. Reward good behavior to make your time with the children more enjoyable and exciting. The children should look forward to spending time with you as you should with them. It’s important for you to take the lead and not add stress to the situation. “What do I do if my child is afraid of the dark and won’t go to sleep?” Don’t try to downplay his or her fear. It’s very real to the child and should be treated seriously. It can make it last longer and worse. The child needs to feel they can trust you. Be supportive: give them some kind of protection – a blanket, a favorite superhero or toy. You can also leave a small bed side light on or give the child a flashlight to use. Check out the room for them and reassure them that it is safe. It’s best to be as helpful and calm as you can. Do you have a question for our "Ask Vicky" column? Email submissions to events@seekingsitters.com.

Certified Sitter Organization

	What is the CSO?
	The Certified Sitter Organization's purpose is to provide enriching resources to area sitters. Periodic outings cover a variety of topics by having speakers provide information on anything from tax advice to special needs expertise. Is the CSO active in your area? Send your stories to events@seekingsitters.com and we'll include them here!


	Events
	October 21, 2011 - October Pottery Party - Jacksonville, FL SeekingSitters Jacksonville East had their CSO Event at Doing Dishes Pottery Studio in October! Their babysitting team had an excellent time painting pottery and sharing great stories! There were lots of snack and yummy candy to get in the Halloween spirit. The sitters played SeekingSitters trivia and had awesome prizes to put in our SeekingSitters bags! It was a fabulous afternoon with their amazing Sitters! June 27, 2011 - Summer Kick-Off Houston CSO - Houston, TX The Houston North had their Summer Kick-Off CSO! They shared funny babysitting stories, laughed and had a great time getting to know one another. All the sitters learned a new craft, tissue paper butterflies, to bring on sitting jobs. It was fun doing this craft together. Each sitter was given a sand pail with a craft kit, supplies and bubbles to kick off their summer sitting jobs! The Houston North CSO can't wait until their Back to School CSO in August! April 27, 2011 - Tulsa CSO - Tulsa, OK The Tulsa CSO had a very special guest speaker, Joni Segnar. Joni is a SeekingSitters member and the mother of Michael, an active, funny, and intelligent child with autism. She came to share some tips when working with children who have autism. Thanks Joni! December 2010 - Atlanta North CSO - Roswell, GA Atlanta North CSO had their first CSO event. They cooked, had raffles for SeekingSitters products and shared stories. The group came up with games and activities for each of them to use while babysitting. The Atlanta North CSO is definitely looking forward to their next event and all the laughter that comes with it! December 12, 2010 - Holiday Party - Leander, TX Austin North CSO came together to eat, mingle and decorate Christmas cookies! Great time to celebrate the holidays and their great team! December 2010 - Holiday Party - Costa Mesa, CA The Orange County CSO got together for beach pictures; the girls had hot apple cider, a good homemade cooked meal, hung out, chatted, and received Christmas gifts. Definitely lots of laughs! March 12, 2009 - Education & Summer Camp Expo - Broomfield, CO SeekingSitters provided free child care to the families that attended the expo. The expo featured more than 100 vendors from area camps, schools, and extracurricular activities. Click on Thumbnails to Enlarge December 14, 2008 - Holiday Open House @ Purple Glaze - Tulsa, OK Painting Christmas ornaments, crafts and having holiday fun with our friends and family as a big "Thank-you!" to everyone for a great year. November 15, 2008 - Family Fun Fest - Tulsa, OK The Tulsa CSO participated in a "Thank-you" event for SeekingSitters Tulsa members and fundraiser for the organization. The carnival style event was a blast for everyone involved. We all hope to see everyone there next year! Click here to see video of the Event! October 23, 2008 - Jonni Segnar speaks at Incredible Pizza - Tulsa, OK Jonni Segnar gave tips and advice about working with children who have special needs, especially Autism. The CSO was joined by SeekingSitters Boise franchisees, Jill and Tim Osborne and their children. The Incredible Pizza arcade and pizza buffet provided a great time and lots of fun for everyone. October 10, 2008 - Walk Now for Autism - St. Louis, MO SeekingSitters St. Charles sponsored a fundraising team and participated in this great event. "Walk Now for Autism, the nation's largest grassroots autism walk program, is Autism Speaks' signature fundraising and awareness event, taking place in communities across the United States, as well as in Canada and the United Kingdom. Powered by volunteers and families with loved ones on the autism spectrum, this successful grassroots fundraising effort not only generates vital funds for autism research but also raises awareness about the increasing prevalence of autism and the need for increased research funding to combat this complex disorder." - www.WalkNowForAutism.org September 22, 2008 - CSO @ The Brook - Tulsa, OK SeekingSitters Orange County franchisees, Steve & Linda Burnette and Kim & Mike Kane, met with the Tulsa Babysitting Team for a Meet and Greet to learn more about the SeekingSitters process from the sitters perspective. Everyone was treated to dinner at The Brook restaurant. August 23, 2008 - Seattle CSO and Alex's Lemonade Stand - Seattle, WA "We hosted an Alex’s Lemonade Stand to raise money for childhood cancer. The Seattle Sitters sold cups of lemonade and all proceeds went the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. I was surprised how quickly the sitters jumped on-board with this project. We look forward to doing more volunteer activities in the future to help out Seattle area kids." - Lisa Rizza, Owner, SeekingSitters Seattle


	Need great tips and activities?
	Visit Babysitting Job Tips or the Babysitter Blog.