Babysitting is more than just earning some extra money on the side. Most babysitters loose sight as to what a babysitter really is. It is more than just “watching kids” or “playing” with them, but as a babysitter you are really a caregiver. Being a caregiver means that the second the parents step out of the house, their children are immediately your responsibility and the parents are putting their child’s safety and health in your arms. Before you think about taking care of other peoples children, ask yourself if you are capable of taking care of yourself first.
Babysitting Rates – how much should I charge?
Babysitting rates can vary depending on your age, experience, the number of children and your location. So how do you decide what to charge?
Many parents already know how much they are willing to pay a babysitter. Even in these cases, it is important for you to know how much your time is worth. Before you agree to a rate, do some research.
Ask your friends and family how much they charge, or would be willing to pay. Ask your parents to help you search websites like Craigslist where you can easily see what other people are charging.
Whether you are using the money to save for college or as extra spending money to go out with your friends, don’t try to get the job by being the cheapest. Instead, take babysitting classes to become a certified babysitter. The rate you set for babysitting is likely to stick with you for as long as you are sitting for that family. In the long run you will make more money by investing some up front for babysitting classes so that you can feel comfortable charging more for your time.
Babysitting classes
When parents are looking for a babysitter there are many factors they consider. How much experience does the sitter have? Will she know what to do in an emergency? How mature is she? Does she take babysitting seriously?
If you are looking to babysit for people who don’t know you, it is often difficult to show parents that you have what it takes for the job. Taking babysitting classes and becoming a certified babysitter can give them the peace of mind they need to hire you.
Whether you are experienced with children or just starting out, babysitting classes can build your confidence and your business!
Getting Started in Babysitting
When you babysit, parents are entrusting you with thier children’s lives. Your most important responsibility is to care of the children’s needs and keep them safe. This means that parents look for certain things in a babysitter:
Maturity
Trustworthy
Patience
Attentiveness
Safety-conciousness
Ability to keep rules for kids.
Fun
Great preperation
Being on time(early is even better)
If you feel you have many of these qualities and have permission from your parents, you are ready to move forward into the world of babysitting!
Resume and References
For those of you with previous babysitting experience, the next step is to prepare a simple resume and references. Here is an example. This is a great way to show your future employers what your capabilities are, and that you are “professional” and organized.
Here are links to start you out with your resume:
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