The note for the babysitter needs to cover four things: who she calls if something happens, what the child cannot eat, what the bedtime routine looks like in your family, and where things are kept. Write the fixed part once and stick it on the fridge. Then add one line per session about whatever is different today. The full template is below.
It is ten past five and the babysitter is standing in the hallway in Älvsjö. Mum says everything at once while hunting for her keys: she hasn't eaten much, no milk for her, she falls asleep best if you sing, Dad's number is in my phone, bye. The door closes. The babysitter is left with three questions she never got to ask. The note exists so that moment never has to decide how the evening goes.
What always goes on it: the permanent note on the fridge
This is the part you write once, print out and put on the fridge. Update it when something changes. It is the note the babysitter looks at first, every single session.
- Numbers. Both your mobile numbers. A third adult nearby who can come if you don't answer: a neighbour, a grandparent, a friend. Your address, with the door code and floor, so she can give it to 112 (the emergency number) without having to think. 1177 (the national healthcare helpline) and the Poisons Information Centre, Giftinformationscentralen, on 010-456 67 00 in the daytime, 112 in an emergency.
- Allergies and medication. What the child cannot eat, what a reaction looks like and what she should do if one happens. If the child takes medication: which one, where it is kept, the dose and the time. If nothing is written here, the babysitter will assume there is nothing, so write it down even if it is mild.
- The bedtime routine, in your order. Dinner, bath, teeth, book, lights out, with rough times. And the things that usually cause trouble: she wants the door left ajar, he needs his rabbit, the night light has to stay on.
- Where things are. Nappies and wet wipes, spare clothes, thermometer, plasters, torch, the fuse box. Where you keep the dummies if there is a spare. How the cooker and the washing machine work, if she is going to use them.
- Rules. Screen time or not, and for how long. Sweets. Whether the children may go out into the courtyard. Whether friends may come over. What the babysitter may and may not say if someone rings or knocks.
- Pets. The cat is not allowed out, the dog gets fed at six.
- Keys. Where she leaves them when she goes, if you are not home by then.
What changes: one line per session
This part is short. Write it on a post-it next to the permanent note, or send it as a text on your way home from work. It is what the babysitter needs to know tonight, not in general.
- How the day has been: did he sleep badly last night, was it a hard day at förskola (preschool), has she eaten?
- Anything that is different in the routine today: an earlier bedtime, no dessert, a particular book that has to be read because it was promised.
- What there is to eat and what you had in mind for dinner, if you haven't eaten.
- When you will be home, as precisely as you can. And whether it might be later.
- One thing that worked last time, if the babysitter is new: he fell asleep when she put a hand on his back.
The template, ready to copy
| Heading | What you write |
|---|---|
| Call first | Mum 07x, Dad 07x. If we don't answer: Grandma Eva 07x, lives on Hornsgatan, ten minutes away. |
| The address | Gatan 12, door code 1234, third floor. Give this to 112. |
| Emergency | 112. Healthcare advice 1177. Poisons information 010-456 67 00 in the daytime. |
| Allergies | Ella cannot have peanuts. Reaction: rash around the mouth, swollen lips. Call 112 if she has trouble breathing. |
| Medication | None. There is Alvedon (paracetamol) in the bathroom cabinet, don't give anything without calling us first. |
| The evening | 17.30 dinner. 18.15 bath. 18.45 teeth, pyjamas. 19.00 two books in bed. 19.20 lights out, door ajar, night light on. |
| Trouble spots | She wants the green cup. He sometimes wakes around eight and goes back to sleep if you sit next to him without talking. |
| Where things are | Nappies in the hall cupboard. Spare clothes in the bottom drawer. Thermometer in the bathroom cabinet. Torch in the kitchen drawer by the cooker. |
| Rules | No screens on weekdays. No sweets. The courtyard only with an adult. |
| Tonight | Slept badly last night. Feel free to eat early. We'll be home around 22.00, we'll text if it gets later. |
The note back: what the babysitter writes to you
Just as important as your note is the one lying on the kitchen table when you get home. Our nannies always write one. What the child ate, when they fell asleep, whether they woke up, what they did, and the things you need to know for tomorrow: the nappies have run out, she complained about her ear, he asked for you at seven but settled with the book. Five lines. Those lines mean you don't have to wake the child to ask how it went, and after a few weeks they give you a picture of what evenings look like when you are not at home. The first time you have a babysitter, that note matters even more, see The first time with a babysitter.
What you don't need to write
Your views on parenting. How you think about sleep. Why you chose the routine you have. The babysitter needs to know what you do, not why. Nor do you need to write what she already knows after three sessions: a nanny who comes every week knows your routine better than you think. But do always write the numbers and the allergies, even for someone who has been with you for a year. The day something happens, she should not have to search her memory.
How we do it with our families
Esther, who joined us in October 2025, has a family in Sundbyberg with a four-year-old girl. On the fridge is a permanent note the parents wrote in the first week. Every Tuesday she finds a post-it next to it: there was a party at förskola today, no dessert. When Mum gets home at half past eight, Esther's note is on the table: had fish fingers and cucumber, no bread. Bath at six, asleep at ten to seven after one book, not two. Didn't wake. Said she missed Dad, but sang in the bath. Night nappies: two left. Five lines, every time. Mum kept the notes for the first few months and said she had never had such a clear picture of an evening she wasn't there for.
Would you like a nanny who comes on the same days every week and whom the children know? Book a free first meeting with the nanny in your home, and we will work out a quote for your hours.
Read more: The first time with a babysitter · Evening and overnight babysitting · Bedtime routine for children · FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Do I need the note if it's the same babysitter every time?
Yes, but it gets shorter. The fixed information, allergies, routines, numbers, you write once and put on the fridge. What changes you write per session: if the child slept badly, if there is something special tonight, if the snack should be something different. One line is often enough.
Should I write down phone numbers when the babysitter already has my mobile?
Yes. A phone can be out of battery, in a bag or lost. Write your number, a second adult to call, and 112, 1177 and the Poisons Information Centre's number on paper. It takes a minute and is the first thing the babysitter looks for if something happens.
How much should I write about routines?
Enough for the babysitter to do what you do, no more. What time, in what order, and what usually causes trouble. That the three-year-old wants her water in the green cup is worth a line. A page on your philosophy of sleep is not.
What happens if I forget the note?
Nothing dangerous, but the babysitter has to guess, and the child notices. If you have a permanent note on the fridge with the essentials, you will be fine. We ask our nannies to ask about anything missing at the handover, and they write a note of their own for you when the session ends.
What does the babysitter write on her note back?
What the child ate, when they slept, whether anything happened, their mood, and what you need to know for tomorrow: the nappies are nearly out, the child asked for you at seven. Short lines. That note is what lets you know how the evening was, not just that it passed.