Guide to Circumstancial Survival: Entry two.

So you've made one of the worst mistakes in the book: That's right....you've let them watch TV since the moment they woke up. (I'm sure you're wondering why that's such a problem, so let me explain that to you: every moment they're sitting/laying down young children are building energy. The longer you wait, the more energy they build, can you see the problem?)

So you've let the kids become incredibly energized by letting them sit on the little charger that is the television screen: you've realized your mistake, but it's too late to rectify it and for whatever reason you can't let the kids go play outside. (dark, snowy, murder case- whatever) so you may be screaming in your head: how can I prevent the house from looking like a disaster before the parents get home!?

There are a few simple solutions to this question. First off, make sure they do any and all chores they're supposed to do in the house at this time. If they won't obey, punish them with a good, long sitdown on their beds. If that doesn't chill them out, warn them about taking tv away and insure they're well aware of the consequences that may come from the parents if they disobey you. If THAT doesn't work individually make them all take baths, regardless of what time of day it is. (this is a very safe approach to settling them down, since the parents won't generally object. Just make sure they don't have skin conditions beforehand.)

If they're SPECIAL NEEDS kids make sure you try wrapping them up in a blanket to calm them down and for pete's sake, don't lose your temper. Remember that most children reflect whatever your emotion is at the time. (sometimes this theory fails completely, but that's beside the point.) If you're angry and upset, chances are, the kid will end up that way too.

If you can't figure out what to do, or need help, call a friend/family member and ask if there's anything they know of that won't injure the child (or yourself) that you can try to calm them down. (some people like to use melatonin and hot tea/chocolate for some kids.) IF THEY don't know what to do, call the parent and tell them the kids are being unruly and you're not sure what to do about it. Keep in mind that the babysitter won't be the one at fault here (IF, of course, the house remains clean. This is because the parents will blame the babysitter for the state of the house due to responsibility and trust issues. Refer to the BS survival guide's first post for more info on this matter.)