Most officers work all different shifts, and their schedules often change each week or month. It is helpful to be comfortable with alone time, because sadly they will not always be available when you would like them to be. Being understanding and flexible helps accommodate the unconventional schedule of police officers. For example, they may be working while you are sleeping, and they may be required to work on holidays. Police officers work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and during all major holidays. Police officers work such odd hours, so be prepared to spend time together during unusual times of the day. Come up with creative ways to spend time together based on their schedule. This will also show your officer that you understand the nature of their work and still are interested in dating them. For example, if your officer works a night shift, you can meet for breakfast at the end of their shift and before you go into work for the day. Other ideas include going to a matinee movie, celebrating holidays and anniversaries when you have the time, and having a relaxing spa day at home. You should be comfortable with alone time when you date an officer. To do this, take up your own hobbies such as joining a book club, working out regularly, or gardening. In addition, you should have your own network of friends to spend time with when you are lonely or need support. You can establish weekly Taco Tuesday nights with your friends, for example. You can also try hobbies like kickboxing, hiking, or knitting. As part of their job, cops have to deal with things like dangerous people, guns, knives, and bombs. Because of this, you likely will worry about them from time to time. To avoid letting your worries get the best of you, spend time with friends, and family, or work on one of your hobbies. Unfortunately, dwelling on the negative will not do anything to keep your partner safe. Instead, try to be positive and optimistic at all times. If you find yourself worrying, you can call a friend or read a book to distract you. Occupying your thoughts with other activities prevents you from worrying too much because you are busy with other things.

Summary: Be accommodating of inconvenient and odd schedules. Come up with unusual and creative date ideas. Develop your own hobbies and friendships to gain independence. Accept the dangers of their job and distract yourself when you worry.

Whether using a cloth or specific tools, be sure to rid your device of dust and debris daily. Clean hearing aids and parts in the morning to ensure that wax is dry and easier to remove. Remove your hearing aid batteries nightly and store in a dehumidifier or dryer in order to protect them from moisture. MultiTools usually provide a device to assist in the removal of batteries. If you don't have a dryer for storage, leave the batteries in the hearing aid and leave the compartment open over night to dry out any moisture. Heat tends to damage batteries so choose to store them at room temperature. Insert hearing aids only after you have applied makeup, hairspray and other products to avoid buildup of foreign matter. Keep hearing aids in a safe, dry location (such as a dehumidifier or dryer) when not in use. Visit your healthcare professional every 3-6 months to do hearing checks and to check the functionality of your device. Never attempt to do repairs on your own.

Summary: Clean daily. Protect your batteries. Avoid foreign materials. Visit your audiologist often.

Babysitting is as much a job as it is an opportunity to enjoy the company of children. The kids will be more receptive to you and your rules if they like you, and they'll grow to like you faster if you try to develop a relationship with them. Talk with them, ask them questions, and joke around in order to develop a good relationship. Younger kids might not want to talk for too long, so try to incorporate during play or activities. Although your job is to watch over the children, you should be interacting with them as much as possible by playing with them. Play will vary based on their ages; if you're watching an infant you may be doing nothing more than making faces and holding up toys. Get creative with the things you come up with for the children to do to keep them interested and out of trouble. Make-believe games are great fun. You could even make up a simple handshake with the children. Be an entertainer. Parents love babysitters who help kids have fun and learn while still reinforcing rules and keeping discipline. Ask kids to show you their favorite toys. Find out from parents and other babysitters what games kids of different ages like to play. Get the kids outdoors if you can. Playing with toys, board games, and activity-based games are all good options for older children. Ask what their favorite thing to do is. You can also bring a few of your favorite games and toys from when you were their age, like Monopoly, Life, Candyland, Uno, or other card games. Stay off screens. Parents are paying you to watch the kid, not put them in front of a television all day. Kids like stories, and they'll be impressed by even the worst storytellers. Come equipped with obscure fairy tales they probably haven't heard, like "The Shoemaker and the Elves" or "The Twelve Dancing Princesses." You can even use stories as rewards. If you're spending a long time watching the children, you can do projects together that are enjoyable for everyone. Consider doing an arts and crafts project or cooking/baking a new recipe (or an old favorite) together. Boxed mixes of brownies, cookies, and cakes taste delicious. Making something will feel productive, pass the time, and give the kids something to be proud of. Simple games like tag and hide and seek get kids active and help them stay fit. Dancing with them is great exercise, too! If you can't leave the property, play outside in the yard, if possible. Kids aren't as good at regulating their time as adults are, and often forget to perform basic bodily necessities. Check once every hour or so to see if they need to go to the bathroom, need water to drink, are tired, or are hungry. Most of the time they won't think to tell you these things on their own, so always be sure to ask. Assuming the parents gave you a basic outline of daily activities, you should be sure you are keeping up with it. Make sure you are feeding the kid(s) at proper meal times, giving them naps, having them do their homework on schedule, etc. If there is time watch a movie with the kids, you can do so towards the end to settle the children down before their parents arrive. If you are babysitting for less than 3 hours, this probably isn't a good idea, as the parents may get mad at you for putting their kid(s) in front of television for half the time. Consider movies such as: Tarzan Finding Nemo Tangled Wreck-It Ralph
Summary: Spend time getting to know the kids. Join in with their play time activities. Tell stories. Come up with fun projects. Take them to a playground if the parents say it's okay. Check in often. Follow the schedule. Watch a movie if allowed.