The Baby-sitters Club Guide to Baby-sitting

Original Publication Date: 1993 (around the time of Get Well Soon, Mallory! and  Dawn and the Surfer Ghost)

Ghostwriter? Yes and no--Jahnna Beecham and Malcolm Hillgartner, ghostwriting team of several books, are directly credited on the title page, but the spine of the book still lists the author's last name as Martin.

Synopsis

The book opens with a forward from Ann M. Martin,, who reminds the readers that although baby-sitting can be unpredictable, knowing what to do in emergencies and in likely scenarios (e.g.; a child crying when the parents leave) will help you feel more confident and keep calm. 

This is followed by a sentence or two from each of the then-current baby-sitters (Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia, Stacey, Dawn, Mallory, Logan, Jessi, and Shannon) explaining what they think makes a good baby-sitter.

From there, the book is divided into five sections: Baby-sitting (the basics of what to expect, how to advertise, and ideas of what do with your charges), Baby-sitting Clubs (ideas of how to run one and information on some real clubs across the US), Dear Ann (letters from BSC readers), Household and Medical Emergencies and First Aid (from bumps and bruises to loss of conscious and trouble breathing, including when to call for an adult or a medical professional), and My Baby-sitting Record Book (a fill-in-the-blank sample of what a baby-sitter might want to keep a log of.

Part I: Baby-sitting

The book does a good job of providing a variety of ways to learn about baby-sitting. I also like that it recommends checking the local going rate for baby-sitters, so that you can set your prices accordingly, and suggests considering charging more for late hours. It has a lot of good advice to help a new baby-sitter not get in too deep, and be prepared. There are tips geared for different age levels, too, including safety concerns (e.g.; if you're watching an infant, don't pack choking hazards in your Kid- Kit). It really covers everything, including how to handle parents who can't pay (write them a bill, give them a week to remember, then call) and what to do if the parents seem under the influence and you're not comfortable with them driving you home (call your own parents or another trusted licensed driver for a ride and be firm in refusing a ride from the parents).

Part II: Baby-sitting Clubs

There's basic information you might want to set up your own club, and advice from four real clubs in the US.

Part III: Dear Ann

Most of the letters seem pretty run-of-the-mill ("What's a good activity for a wide age range?" "Art!"). One deals with a client who routinely ends up watching eight children at once when only expecting two, which Martin calls out as unsafe even by daycare ratio standards, and encourages the letter-writer to speak up, perhaps with a parent's help.

Part IV: Household and Medical Emergencies and First Aid

There's some really solid advice here. The books goes into different scenarios, some of which can be handled by a baby-sitters (power outage, lightning storm) and some of which require professionals. There's even a part about what to expect when calling 9-1-1. It's a valuable read for any age, really.

Part V: My Baby-sitting Record Book

This has a client directory with spaces for specific information on each charge, such as allergies and favorite toys. There's also a blank calendar to fill in, a spreadsheet to keep track of earnings, and lined paper to serve as a notebook. I bought this book second-hand; it was previously owned by a Krystle Sword, but nothing is filled out.

Misc

Special thanks is given to Dr, Mark Sorenson, MD, and Beth Sorenson, P-AC, for their help with the first aid and emergency sections.

While Hodges Soileau is credited for the cover art as usual, Tony Talarico illustrated the medical and first aid pictures and Nancy Didion illustrated the other interior pictures.

The book has tidbits of advice "from" the members of the BSC sprinkled in, all in their own handwriting. In her first note Claudia thanks Mary Anne for helping her with spelling, and her entries are without their usual grammatical and spelling errors.