Whether you are a young person who is hoping to earn some extra spending cash by doing some babysitting, or you are an adult who is hoping to start a babysitting business, there are some things that you need to know at the beginning.
The first area that you need to be familiar with is the area of safety. This includes basic first aid, child and infant CPR, and emergency preparation and planning. Some organizations, such as the American Red Cross, may offer babysitting courses in your area that cover some of these basic safety topics. Taking this sort of training, and becoming CPR and first aid certified, will help you to be prepared to baby-sit, as well as help you in trying to find families for whom you can baby-sit.
Next, you will need to get a firm grasp on how the babysitting market operates in your area. Do most people find babysitters by word of mouth? Are there babysitting referral services that you can either join or compete with? How much is it customary for babysitters in your area to be paid? Talk with a variety of parents to find out where they find their sitters, and how much they are paid. These conversations may also provide you with some leads to families that may need a babysitter. You can also check the yellow pages to see if there are babysitting services that can refer you to families.
Next, try to get a grasp on what activities are appropriate for certain ages. To be the best babysitter you can be, you will want to engage the children in activities, rather than just plop them in front of the television while you talk on the phone. By being involved in activities with the children, they will be happier, their parents will be happier, and you will be more likely to be invited back.
Finally, you should try to make a list of exactly what you can do and when. Are you comfortable and capable of babysitting small children under the age of two, or do you prefer older children? Would you be willing and able to baby-sit for a child with a disability? Are you available during the most demanding time for babysitters, on Friday and Saturday nights, or are you only available during the week? Are you willing to offer to perform various household chores or cooking in addition to babysitting? By thinking about these things ahead of time, you can be better prepared when you interview for a potential babysitting job.
While it may take a little bit of extra effort, you might find that being prepared in these ways will not only help you to be a better babysitter, but it will help you to find babysitting jobs, as well.
The first area that you need to be familiar with is the area of safety. This includes basic first aid, child and infant CPR, and emergency preparation and planning. Some organizations, such as the American Red Cross, may offer babysitting courses in your area that cover some of these basic safety topics. Taking this sort of training, and becoming CPR and first aid certified, will help you to be prepared to baby-sit, as well as help you in trying to find families for whom you can baby-sit.
Next, you will need to get a firm grasp on how the babysitting market operates in your area. Do most people find babysitters by word of mouth? Are there babysitting referral services that you can either join or compete with? How much is it customary for babysitters in your area to be paid? Talk with a variety of parents to find out where they find their sitters, and how much they are paid. These conversations may also provide you with some leads to families that may need a babysitter. You can also check the yellow pages to see if there are babysitting services that can refer you to families.
Next, try to get a grasp on what activities are appropriate for certain ages. To be the best babysitter you can be, you will want to engage the children in activities, rather than just plop them in front of the television while you talk on the phone. By being involved in activities with the children, they will be happier, their parents will be happier, and you will be more likely to be invited back.
Finally, you should try to make a list of exactly what you can do and when. Are you comfortable and capable of babysitting small children under the age of two, or do you prefer older children? Would you be willing and able to baby-sit for a child with a disability? Are you available during the most demanding time for babysitters, on Friday and Saturday nights, or are you only available during the week? Are you willing to offer to perform various household chores or cooking in addition to babysitting? By thinking about these things ahead of time, you can be better prepared when you interview for a potential babysitting job.
While it may take a little bit of extra effort, you might find that being prepared in these ways will not only help you to be a better babysitter, but it will help you to find babysitting jobs, as well.
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