Have you ever considered baby sitting as a way to earn extra money? This job is one of the most popular ways that teenagers earn spending money while they are in high school or attending college. If you sit once or twice a week, you can earn anywhere from $40 to $400 a month! The two requirements for becoming a babysitter is that you like children (that may seem obvious but sometimes this fact is overlooked) and that you are a mature individual who can handle a large amount of responsibility.
Here are a few dos and don'ts you should keep in mind if you have decided to enter into the world of baby sitting.
DO take a babysitter course. Community colleges, recreational centers, and organizations like the American Red Cross offer classes that provide you with the basics of child care and how to handle emergencies. You can even find reasonably priced courses online that provide you with a certificate when you have completed the course.
DO put together a small flier that you can hand out to advertise your baby sitting services to your neighbors and family friends. Put your contact information, special skills (do you know CPR?), and experience on this flier so that parents can see you are a well-trained individual. DON'T be too forceful. Place these fliers in their mailbox or hand them out politely. Being aggressive is not a quality that will convince parents they should call you.
DO prepare for the interview. It is very natural to feel nervous when you are meeting potential families for the first time but if you practice interviewing with your own parents, then you will feel much more confident.
DON'T show up late, act irresponsibly, or be rude for any sitting job. You need to prove that you are a mature person and that they can rely on you to watch their children. DO show up early the first time you sit so that you can get a good idea of all the house rules before the parents leave.
DO bring a few fun free babysitting games or videos to keep the kids entertained. They will not be very happy that their parents have left so you need to keep them distracted and make sure that everyone has a great time!
Baby sitting is challenging but it can also be extremely rewarding. If you do your best, you will quickly become the most popular sitter in the neighborhood!
