I know a lot of us are freaking out about the Coronavirus, and though I believe it to be serious I think the best way to handle the “crisis” is to use your common sense. There is no reason to lose our minds BUT….you don’t want to spread it around either. So here are some things to consider BEFORE you schedule a babysitter for your children during this time of caution.
- If your child’s school is closed due to a coronavirus scare know the details of that closure. Was your child potentially exposed to the virus? Was there a confirmed case of the virus at the school?
- Have you or our children been outside of the US in the last 30 days?
- Are you or your children showing signs of having the virus?
- Will you be putting anyone in your home at risk, for getting the virus, including babysitters?
If you answered yes to any or all of these questions it is best NOT to schedule a babysitter. It is best if you stay home with the kids. Keeping exposure down is the best way to keep the virus at bay. Exposing your babysitter to getting the virus could potentially spread the virus to a lot of other families, the babysitter’s family and friends. Babysitters that go to individual homes can be a hub for spreading any virus they may encounter. We all need to be responsible for the choices we make, and being extraordinarily careful when spreading a potentially deadly virus is very important.
Most babysitters, admittedly, are in a low risk demographic for getting and or dying from the coronavirus but there isn’t a ton of concrete evidence about this virus yet. If you have been listening at all to any news the risk for the virus changes nearly everyday. Also, remember that your children can have the virus without showing any symptoms but they can spread it. So use caution when scheduling a babysitter.
Trust me when I say that I don’t want to discourage scheduling babysitters especially since that is my business but being safe is the most important piece of taking care of your family and babysitters. We are in this together and though we need to practice social distancing we are part of a greater community and we need to calm and take care of each other through this stressful time.
I want to stress that Babysitters In a Pinch babysitters have been instructed on how to take care of their cleanliness, and that they shouldn’t be wearing the same clothes from home to home. They all know that keeping their hands clean is essential and that they should limit taking children to public places like museums.
