How to Become a Babysitter

You enjoy taking care of children but know that you don't want to do it full-time or in a daycare setting. You can always make some extra money caring for kids either in your home or in theirs after school, on an on-call basis or as a regular "date night" relief for young parents. However you decide to utilize your kid-friendly talents, the following steps will help you get the word out that you are in the babysitting business!

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Determine what times in your schedule you want to devote to babysitting. You can set up some regular times, such as Monday through Friday after school, to advertise. Or you can make yourself available on a case-by-case basis, a good option if your schedule tends to fluctuate too much to set "regular" times.

2. Get your CPR and first aid certification if you do not already have them. Check with your local American Red Cross office or hospital to see if there are continuing aducation classes in the two skills. Knowing basic first aid and CPR makes you considerably more marketable and assures parents you mean business and can handle an emergency.

3. Build a babysitting resume listing your child care experience. Make sure to include any volunteer or early work you have done with children: church nursery or Sunday school teacher/aid, camp counselor, even younger siblings you may have that you might have watched as a youth. Also include in your resume whether or not you have transportation and references.

4. Design a flyer you can post on community, church and school bulletin boards. Include on the flyer a readily accessible way for someone to take your contact information - a pocket containing pieces of business card-sized pieces of paper, or individually-cut strips listing your name and number that can easily be pulled off the bottom of the flyer. Make sure to make them eye-catchingly colorful and include a friendly picture of yourself.

5. Do a second self-contained flyer (without the contact information pieces) for mailing/e-mailing and distribution. These can be given to friends or local Moms' Groups, put on front doors in your neighborhood or handed out at school.

6. Determine your pay rate. Learn what hourly rates day cares in your area are charging and ask parents you know what a reasonable fee is. Or you may decide to charge by the job.

7. Interview the parents and meet the kids. Make sure to find out the family's rules and ask them to provide you with all emergency contact information.

8. Accept your first job and start earning money!

Tips & Warnings

• Put together a Babysitter's Magic Bag of little books, a handpuppet or little stuffed animals, age appropriate craft items, puzzles or anything else you think you could use as a surprise or distraction.

• Plan a trip to the park or other fun free outing, as long as it is parent-approved and age appropriate.

• Make sure to ask about any allergies, forbidden food, medicine schedule or any other health-related needs the kids have.

• First aid kits designed specifically for babysitters are available through most American Red Cross offices.

• Stay away from swimming pools or other bodies of water unless you are experienced in lifeguarding or are an incredible swimmer. This is one liability issue you do not need to expose yourself to for a parttime position.

• Never smoke or consume alcohol while on the job.

• Never leave children unattended.

• If the children are older and use a computer, monitor their usage based on the rules of their family.