Are you thinking of becoming a babysitter? Why not? The childcare service industry is not just lucrative but it’s definitely here to stay. So, stop having second thoughts about it. Here’s how to become a babysitter.
Babysitting is no longer a side hustle. I know a lot of ladies who have made a career out of it and they’re very happy.
You too can make a career out of it but I have to warn you. You have to work hard to win repeat clients.
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If you want to know how to become a babysitter, I’ll show you how.
Table Of Contents
Age Is A Critical Factor When Becoming A Babysitter
There’s just no way around it. You need to be of age if you want to become a babysitter, at least, a serious one.
By that I mean, 18 years old and above. This is not to discourage young girls out there who are below 18. I’m just saying that they won’t be taken seriously by most parents.
Nowadays, most parents are looking for professional babysitters. They can easily connect to them through online childcare service providers.
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Online childcare service providers have strict age requirements for their babysitters. For example, Sittercity only accepts babysitters who are 18 years old and above. Hence, age is a critical factor in becoming a babysitter. Related Read: Details on Sittercity Rates
Basic Babysitting Tasks
Aside from age, there are a couple of other things to know first before becoming a babysitter. For example, are you aware of the basic babysitting tasks?
If you’re serious about becoming a babysitter, then you should know what the basic tasks are. The list below will give you a good idea as to what the basic babysitting tasks are.
- Engage with children. Gone are the days when babysitters just hang around the house and wait for the parents to come home. It’s safe to say that babysitters are more proactive these days. They keep their eyes on the children, engaging them in fun and learning activities.
- Help with homework. Even if it’s not expected of them, professional babysitters go out of their way to help with children’s homework. Parents appreciate this very much.
- Get in the driver’s seat. This is both figuratively and literally speaking. Figuratively speaking, you are in charge. You are responsible for the safety of the children. That’s a huge responsibility. Literally speaking, you might be expected to drive the children. A lot of parents appreciate the fact that their babysitter can drive. If you want to become a serious babysitter, then consider brushing up on your driving skills.
- Prepare and cook snacks and meals. Professional babysitters showcase their culinary skills by preparing and cooking snacks and meals for the children. They don’t just depend on leftovers, takeouts, or deliveries. They go out of their way to prepare and cook healthy snacks and meals for the children.
- Do additional household tasks. These days, babysitting goes beyond watching the kids. Professional babysitters are more than willing to do additional household tasks like washing the dishes and cleaning up. Although some of these services could be agreed upon, professional babysitters usually have the initiative to go beyond their expected tasks.
- Provide feedback to parents. Feedback is important. Professional babysitters know that and parents appreciate it as well. Babysitters can provide updates on the children either verbally or written. Either way, parents would love to know what their children were up to for the day.
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It’s critical to know what the basic babysitting tasks are. That way, you can seriously decide if babysitting is for you. Related Read: Use This Sittercity Promo Code To Save
How To Become A Babysitter
If you have gotten to this part, then one thing is for sure. You’re serious about becoming a babysitter. Here’s how to become a babysitter.
- Brush up on your skills. If you’re serious about becoming a professional babysitter, then it’s time to brush up on your skills. As mentioned previously, driving is one of the skills parents appreciate. If you still don’t know how to drive, it’s time you learn. It also wouldn’t hurt to brush up on your interpersonal and communication skills. Keep in mind that competition is stiff. The more skills you have, the better.
- Attend training and seminars such as first aid. Did you know that the American Red Cross offers Babysitting and Childcare Training? Well, they do. You even have the option to take the training class online. That’s something you can take advantage of.
- Get certified. While you’re attending the American Red Cross Babysitting and Childcare training, make sure to get certified to administer first aid, artificial resuscitation (AR), and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Parents are most likely to pay attention to your credentials if you have Red Cross certification.
- Make your resume. Now is the time to get some paper and pencil or maybe sit by your computer to come up with your resume. Take your time. Write down everything, from your educational background to an in-depth description of yourself. You can always refine it in the succeeding drafts. Don’t forget to add at least three references. Parents really go out of their way to call references to learn more about the babysitter.
- Post your services. After creating the final copy of your resume, it’s time to post your services. Gone are the days when babysitters post their services on bulletin boards. If you think posting your services on free websites such as Craigslist is a good idea, it’s not. If you really want to look like a professional babysitter at the start, you need to post your services on legitimate childcare service websites. Such websites will protect your personal information. They will only post your resume for parents to see. Furthermore, posting your services on legitimate childcare service websites will connect you to parents who are seriously looking for a babysitter.
- Create your profile. Most importantly, these websites provide a big enough space for you to create a profile for parents to see. Make sure to complete your profile. Some childcare service websites even require their babysitters to post their videos. Keep in mind that your profile is what parents will initially look at. Make it real but at the same time, make it awesome.
- Run a background check on yourself. One of the reasons why you’re better off posting your services on legitimate childcare service websites, such as Sittercity, is that you can run a background check on yourself. Some parents usually do it themselves. They run a background check on the babysitter just to be sure. However, most parents will appreciate the fact that you have already done so. Since you’re just starting to become a babysitter, I recommend that you run a background check on yourself to add to your credentials on your profile.
- • Have some patience. If you’re really serious about becoming a babysitter, you need to have lots of patience. It will take some time for parents to connect with you but it will happen. Just keep in mind that competition is stiff. Nowadays, parents have more than enough options to choose from. The reason for that is because childcare service websites provide them access to a massive database of babysitters. In case, you don’t get shortlisted or hired immediately, don’t lose hope. Have more patience. As long as your profile is visible to parents, you will eventually be connected and hired by the right family.
Final Thoughts
Babysitting isn’t as simple as it may seem. While it is a fulfilling job, you need to start off on the right foot. If you don’t, you might not get connected to the right people. That’s why it’s very important to know how to become a babysitter nowadays. Related Read: Is Sittercity Free?
Are you interested in becoming a babysitter? Have you started your journey to become one? Feel free to share your journey with us. We’d love to hear from you.
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It used to be the case that I would babysit for families. These days, I’m the one hiring sitters to watch over my little girl. LOL! How time flies. My mission now is to share some of my insights so that other moms get to benefit from my experience with babysitting. Read More
