FAVORITE TOYS

If your son has become surgically attached to Wally the Panda, pull Wally out and let the babysitter give him the once-over. Since the loss of one of these toys can cause a child meltdown similar in scale to Hiroshima, we suggest that you get this out of the way first.

ALLERGIES

To kids, this is ironically second runner-up in importance to Wally the Panda, although in reality much more crucial to a child's health. Make a list of all allergies that your kids have or are suspected to have, and put it in a clear place for your babysitter to reference at any time. If your child is the type that can't get a bee sting without turning into a giant blueberry-child from Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, communicate the seriousness of the allergy to your babysitter and take as many dramatic steps as are needed to make sure stings don't happen.

COMMON MISBEHAVIOR

Tell the babysitter where the kids are in terms of their development. Don't worry about freaking her out. Every good babysitter has dealt with the head-bangers, bullies, psychotic tantrums, kids that stick things up their noses and more. It helps if they know what to watch out for and preferably, how to stop it - i.e. toss down a pillow at the precise moment little Liz begins to wail, gets on her hands and knees and aims her head at the ground.

THOUGHTS ON FEEDING

Considering that these days the average babysitter can be fast-food addicted, vegetarian, organic, vegan, raw-foods fanatical, or sadly even anorexic, it's best to outline for them exactly what you want the kids to eat and what you don't want them to eat. The more you outline, the less you have to worry about your kids having flaxseed oil and organic microbeans for lunch.

THOUGHTS ON DISCIPLINE

This is another crucial piece of information. There are many different discipline tactics out there, and whether you're a fan of spanking, quiet time, talking, withholding privileges or whatnot, make sure the sitter knows. Several moms have talked about their rage at a nanny or babysitter spanking a child, but when asked if they had told her to do otherwise, they are perplexed. Babysitters don't read your mind, so be up-front and work out a mutual discipline tactic that works for everyone.

BATH TIME

Unfortunately, while bath time is one of the most charming times you can have with kids, it's also one of the most dangerous. Whatever your rules are for the bath, make sure that one is abundantly clear: the babysitter should never turn her back on the kids while they are in the water. Period. Ringing phone? Let it go.

PETS

If you have a pet it's best to get them used to your babysitter right away. Let dogs, cats, gnus and anything else you've got lurking around sniff your babysitter in your presence so that they feel comfortable around her. Review with your babysitter feeding techniques, how often pets need to be let out and possible emergency maneuvers, like how to handle little Jimmy if Nemo goes belly-up in the fishbowl.

PALS AND PLAYDATES

Your babysitter is bound to get bored if she is stuck in the house for too long, and your kids will too. We suggest making a list of friends' houses and numbers, then suggesting that once a month your babysitter take the kids to a playdate with pals. It's a good idea to keep this within walking distance, or have the playdates at your house, since driving always complicates things.

RULES FOR THE HOUSE

Rules for the house will encompass everything from no eating in the family room to finger-paints outside, please. Each family has its own kooky list of rules (we know of one mother who never let anyone wear socks in the house, while another mom would not allow shoes), so just scrawl these down for your babysitter and ask her to play by them.

RULES FOR THE BABYSITTER

Put aside all fears of scaring a babysitter away with your list of rules! Babysitters are often relieved to know exactly what you do and do not want on the job. While some parents relay this list verbally, we always suggest that you write them down so there's a record of them later if the babysitter forgets them.