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Forum -> Household Management -> Organizing
Babysitting and being organized



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amother
OP


 

Post Wed, Aug 03 2022, 9:02 pm
I will be having a babysitting group from 8-4 and my dh will be starting a new job 8:30 -6:30. How to make suppers and Shabbos and keeping clean in the house? Right now we can't afford a cleaning lady.
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amother
Obsidian


 

Post Wed, Aug 03 2022, 9:04 pm
4 and 6:30 aren't so late. Cook and clean then.
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amother
Lawngreen


 

Post Wed, Aug 03 2022, 9:05 pm
The crockpot is your friend. Or cook in bulk on weekends and freeze/ reheat. Or easy 1 pot dinners you put up right after work.
My husband helps with a nice chunk of nightly cleanup.
Working till 4 isn't awful in terms of time to do stuff unless you have a bunch of kids come home then.
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ra_mom




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Aug 03 2022, 9:20 pm
Each week, prep 4 dinners for the Monday through Thursday of the following week. Freeze raw and ready to bake.

You can either thaw the food in fridge night before and put the food up in the crockpot that morning.

Or pop the thawed pan of food into the oven at a good time during the day so that it's ready by the time your family comes home.
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amother
OP


 

Post Wed, Aug 03 2022, 10:11 pm
What about cleaning?
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miriam6




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Aug 03 2022, 10:21 pm
Cleaning would be ideal if you could make yourself a schedule of every evening twenty min of cleaning

Sunday sweep the bedroom floors
Monday and Thursday the bathroom
Friday the kitchen counters and floor

That's besides the daily sweep up of the main areas
Dishes get done after every meal
Laundry should also be put in a schedule
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amother
Amaryllis


 

Post Wed, Aug 03 2022, 10:23 pm
Will the baby's be sleeping same time at some point during those hours you babysit? Can you catch a 20 minute power nap while they sleep (it equals a nights worth of sleep)? With refreshed energy, can Clean up after they leave or in the evening?

Dinner can be done in advance on an off day, freeze.
Dinners can be done in 5 minutes in a Betty crocker.
For 5 minute supper ideas, pm me.


Last edited by amother on Wed, Aug 03 2022, 10:57 pm; edited 1 time in total
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amother
Wallflower


 

Post Wed, Aug 03 2022, 10:49 pm
Surrendered wrote:
Will the baby's be sleeping same time at some point during those hours you babysit? Can you catch a 20 minute power nap while they sleep (it equals a nights worth of sleep)? With refreshed energy, can Clean up after they leave or in the evening?

Dinner can be done in advance on an off day, freeze.
Dinners can be done in 5 minutes in a Betty crocker.
For 5 minute supper ideas, pm me.


For the bold-- NO! if I am paying you to babysit my kid, you cannot take a nap. You cannot cook. Just no.
Now, OP- I work full time. Until 5 plus commute. I do 1-2 loads of laundry a day to keep on top of it. My machine has a timer setting so I prep and set it the night before
so it goes on in time for me to switch when I am up in the morning. I shop in bulk so always have basic pantry staples ready. I cook double and freeze. I dont make fancy multi course meals or things with too many steps.
And I cut back housekeeping. I do the basics and let some things slide. And do it all before or after work.
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amother
Peach


 

Post Wed, Aug 03 2022, 10:54 pm
It's like working full time without a commute.

-Cook easier dinners and/or prep ahead
-Do big cleaning/laundry on weekends (I clean bathrooms motzei shabbos and put in a couple loads of laundry, then do the folding/ other stuff Sunday or Monday night).
-Plan ahead for shabbos prep.
-get your kids and DH to pitch in if they can.
-lower expectations for nonessentials
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amother
Ghostwhite


 

Post Wed, Aug 03 2022, 11:07 pm
Laundry I start a load every morning before breakfast. After all the kids leave to school switch that one to dryer and start a new one.
I have a playgroup I find that my house stay cleaner because I can't have a mess when parents walk in. I clean up downstairs before I go to sleep so all I have left before they walk in, is clean up breakfast and sweep.
I sweep after lunch and after snack time.
Make sure to clean up toys/babysitting mess with the children before they leave so you can sit 15 minutes to catch your breath at 4!!
I don't think it's a good idea to take a nap while watching the kids but you can definitely wash dishes/load dishwasher or make beds /fold laundry while the kids are napping!
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amother
Seafoam


 

Post Thu, Aug 04 2022, 2:25 am
amother [ Wallflower ] wrote:
For the bold-- NO! if I am paying you to babysit my kid, you cannot take a nap. You cannot cook. Just no.
Now, OP- I work full time. Until 5 plus commute. I do 1-2 loads of laundry a day to keep on top of it. My machine has a timer setting so I prep and set it the night before
so it goes on in time for me to switch when I am up in the morning. I shop in bulk so always have basic pantry staples ready. I cook double and freeze. I dont make fancy multi course meals or things with too many steps.
And I cut back housekeeping. I do the basics and let some things slide. And do it all before or after work.


What??? Do you get a lunch break at your 9-5 job? Babysitters' breaks are during kids' naps. She can use that time to do whatever she wants.
She can eat, clean, prep dinner- what does it matter to you what she does with her time?
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amother
Wallflower


 

Post Thu, Aug 04 2022, 2:36 am
amother [ Seafoam ] wrote:
What??? Do you get a lunch break at your 9-5 job? Babysitters' breaks are during kids' naps. She can use that time to do whatever she wants.
She can eat, clean, prep dinner- what does it matter to you what she does with her time?


Um is ANYONE watching the kids? I can leave my worksite during my half hour lunch break as long as I get back before the 30 minutes are up to clock back in. (And while I end at 5 I actually start earlier than that...) But I am not responsible for little kids. It is in no way comparable. She can't leave. Is someone making sure kids are safe, not crying?!?

If she has an assistant who is not taking her break then, it might be a different situation for a short period of time depending on how many kids. But I expect the babysitter and staff to be able to attend to my kids needs and/or be ready in case of any sort of emergency. Even if it should be her lunch break. So if there was a fire- can she get everyone out? If she is napping- she might not wake up in an emergency or her reflexes will be slowed in the post nap grogginess. She might not notice a gas leak or carbon monoxide (but while awake you might notice the effects...) or smell something burning which could be the start of a fire.
She should eat during naps but not on the other side of the home. She should also be on call and ready to take care of anything needed.
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amother
Seafoam


 

Post Thu, Aug 04 2022, 2:47 am
amother [ Wallflower ] wrote:
Um is ANYONE watching the kids? I can leave my worksite during my half hour lunch break as long as I get back before the 30 minutes are up to clock back in. (And while I end at 5 I actually start earlier than that...) But I am not responsible for little kids. It is in no way comparable. She can't leave. Is someone making sure kids are safe, not crying?!?

If she has an assistant who is not taking her break then, it might be a different situation for a short period of time depending on how many kids. But I expect the babysitter and staff to be able to attend to my kids needs and/or be ready in case of any sort of emergency. Even if it should be her lunch break. So if there was a fire- can she get everyone out? If she is napping- she might not wake up in an emergency or her reflexes will be slowed in the post nap grogginess. She might not notice a gas leak or carbon monoxide (but while awake you might notice the effects...) or smell something burning which could be the start of a fire.
She should eat during naps but not on the other side of the home. She should also be on call and ready to take care of anything needed.


Being on the other side of the home doesn't mean she won't hear kids waking up. I have a family member who has a daycare at home. She has a baby monitor in the napping room. She hears a noise, she goes in.
I don't think naps are a good idea, but if she isn't leaving the house, she can certainly do housework.
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amother
Yarrow


 

Post Thu, Aug 04 2022, 2:59 am
amother [ Wallflower ] wrote:
For the bold-- NO! if I am paying you to babysit my kid, you cannot take a nap. You cannot cook. Just no.
Now, OP- I work full time. Until 5 plus commute. I do 1-2 loads of laundry a day to keep on top of it. My machine has a timer setting so I prep and set it the night before
so it goes on in time for me to switch when I am up in the morning. I shop in bulk so always have basic pantry staples ready. I cook double and freeze. I dont make fancy multi course meals or things with too many steps.
And I cut back housekeeping. I do the basics and let some things slide. And do it all before or after work.


Every babysitter I have sent to usually has a nice chunk of time when all the babies are sleeping. What do you expect her to do? Stare at the wall? Of course she's taking care of housework and cooking. It's one of the perks of babysitting (vs playgroup where kids are up the entire time). The babies are not even w her- one of the perks of home sitting is each baby is put in its own room.

The babysitter can't let cleaning slide like mothers who do other jobs or the people who send will get nervous. It's important that the public areas appear neat and clean.

Op, I commend your efforts. Those are long babysitting hours! Kids all day are much more strenuous than a typical office job. Hashem should send you strength and hotzlocha.
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amother
Snowdrop


 

Post Thu, Aug 04 2022, 3:32 am
I agree that babysitters can do housework during down time, but also wouldn't be comfortable with them napping unless an assistant was available.

The babysitters I've sent to have managed to keep the public areas cleaner than my home TMI . I assume they're better at cleaning sooner after the mess is made. Then it shouldn't build up and be much to handle after the last kid leaves. Laundry might be feasible to throw in while babysitting, depending on your set up. Otherwise, like most of us, evenings include housework... Also, older children (if you have) can help with chores (husbands too!).

OP, when do you serve dinner? Ideally, I might start prepping around 4, but usually don't start till after 5 (besides defrosting food earlier if need be). You can either freeze ahead, start prepping during naps, crockpot, or just cook after 4.
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amother
Snowdrop


 

Post Thu, Aug 04 2022, 3:37 am
Oh, and many working parents prep Shabbos food on Thursday nights. You have the advantage that even if you just pan, prep, you can let it actually cook/bake on Friday since you're home... Like prepping your chicken, then cooking on Friday. I love when I pick up my LO from the babysitter on Friday and smell Shabbos food! True, there are often adult children around and sometimes her husband, but mostly I love the sitter, she loves the children, and I trust they're well taken care of.
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amother
Cyclamen


 

Post Thu, Aug 04 2022, 3:38 am
Set aside a small amount from the $ you are earning for cleaning help a few hours a week.
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amother
Ecru


 

Post Thu, Aug 04 2022, 4:36 am
Taking a nap is not ok. If c"v there was an emergency, babysitter needs to be alert and at the ready to take action.
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amother
OP


 

Post Thu, Aug 04 2022, 9:16 am
Ok, ok, first of all,I dont like taking naps during the day .😃 Second of all, all you said is helping me figure it out, so thank you!
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