Getting a job babysitting isn't as easy as it used to be unless your teen has little children in their extended family. Much more is expected of teens who watch young children and infants, including knowing basic first aid. Parents, you can help by sharing the steps below with your teenager. And by following through with everything your teen needs to do to keep safe and do a good job.
Difficulty: Average
Time Required: 1 week and ongoing
Here's How:
- Take a babysitting course. You’ll want to take a course that offers basic first aid. If there is no course in your area, look for just basic first aid course and take that. Then find someone in your family who is willing to show you the basics of infant and toddler care.
- Gain experience. Offer your services to family and friends for free or volunteer at your church's nursery or local childcare facility.
- Be prepared for some semi-tough questions. Write down the answers to: What times/days are you available? Do you have your own transportation?
- You’ll want to take a course that offers basic first aid. If there are no course in your area, look for a basic first aid course and take that.
- Advertise your services. Make half-sheet fliers and give them out to everyone you know. Ask relatives to give out fliers to the people they know and post it at your church or community center. Place your home phone number on the flier, not your own cell phone or home address.
- Gather information on potential clients. When calls start coming in, remember to take down as much of the information as you can. Make up blank message pages in case someone takes a message for you. Name and phone number, how many children, their ages and when would you be needed, are the most important things you will need to know.
- Vet the people who are calling you with babysitting jobs. You never need a job so much that you have to put up with being unsafe or not treated with respect – by the kids or the parents. There is nothing wrong with meeting who you are going to be working for before you babysit. Finding out shows your maturity. Give your parents all of the information you have on the people who would like you to babysit and allow your parents to vet them as well on an as needed basis. Visiting with potential clients is recommended.
- Do a good job. Stick with the parent's rules for bed time and snacks. Enjoy the time with your wards, do crafts and play games with them. The best way for teens to insure their job security as a babysitter is to have a good time with the kids while following their client's rules.
Tips:
- Parents, you will want to be available to pick your teen up any time they are babysitting. You never know when the need will arise.
