After-School Rules: Coordinating pick-ups and drop-offs with your child care provider
Preparing your child, sitter and the school
The Care.com editorial team
- Register the sitter with the school
- Practice the routine with the sitter
- Introduce the sitter to the teachers and bus driver
- Remind your child never to go home with strangers
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In a world where children are snatched from playgrounds, it's important to make sure your babysitter or nanny follows the rules when picking up your child from school.
Almost all schools today require you to register anyone who is picking up your child; this might also include relatives. To find out what the procedure at your child's school is, visit the administrative offices and ask for the proper paperwork.
Don't let your babysitter pick up your child on her own until you've gone through the routine with her a few times. Prepare her for any possible changes in the routine and how to handle them.
It's important for them to be familiar with each other. Sometimes important information is exchanged during these transfers, and you need to remind the sitter to be sure to pass this information on to you.
In case of an emergency, and your sitter does not show up, prepare your child with Plan B. Part of this is to know to never leave school with a stranger.
The bottom line
Don't ask your sitter or nanny to pick your child up from school until you've spoken with school officials and familiarized her with your routine. Once your child and his teachers are familiar with your sitter or nanny, she should have no problem picking him up from school.
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