What do you do for your babysitter?

[CluelessMummy]

Just that really. I'm leaving 8mo DD with a lovely lady tomorrow night from 6pm and I'm not sure what I should be leaving her with, dinner-wise? She's a grown woman (childminder) so I'm not sure she will appreciate cash for a pizza like I did as a teen babysitter!

Also, if you do/have done paid babysitting what kinda of things did you appreciate the parents doing for you? I really want to keep this lady sweet so she'll want to return!

Thanks in advance

If she's a professional from an agency then I wouldn't worry about a meal, they won't expect it. I leave out tea and coffee stuff so it's easy to get to, and a packet of biscuits or something, but in my experience professional sitters have never even made a cup of tea. I also leave instructions on how to use our TV, but only because DP has a complicated tech set up that requires three remote controls!

Just to add, I'm sure a sitter would much rather you add a couple of quid to their hourly rate than worry about providing a meal. A generous rate, even above what they might ask for, is a good way to get them to come back.

OK great, I did get a pack of naice biscuits in especially but then it occurred to me that she'd probably need to eat a proper dinner too!

I did babysitting for a while and nobody gives you a meal. I wouldn't have wanted one, either. Just give her some biscuits, or tell her to make a sandwich with something from the fridge.

Don't forget to give her your WiFi password. That's an essential these days!

Thanks all. Ah good thinking BitterBoy! I knew MN would have all the answers

I always appreciated a meal (nothing fancy, a frozen pizza would have done me!) or permission to raid the fridge when babysitting (in my 20s alongside professional childcare).
I think if you're there all evening from 6pm, you'd want to feel there was something for you to eat.

I remember my Mum leaving out cheese & biscuits & our lovely babysitter would let me & my brother have some. I still think cheese & biscuits are posh!

We leave a piece of paper with the Wi-Fi code, both phone numbers and where biscuits/tea/coffee are. I usually leave some chocolate or something like a small bottle of cider etc for them in the fridge too. Worth noting that our babysitters are either nursery workers or the older uni age kids of friends so we know them and/or their parents anyway.

Tigercub cheese and biscuits are definitely posh OK so I shouldn't go to too much trouble but should definitely have something edible in the fridge that's quick to rustle up.

I have no family where I live so I reeeally need this person to want to look after DD from time to time.

Am surprised at all those saying they wouldn't leave a meal (but then I'm someone that has to eat properly or I get hangry so am always concerned others should eat too!) I checked with mine if she was happy with a microwaveable lasagne and bought one from Tesco which I popped in the fridge with a label with her name on it.