How to Find Babysitting Jobs for Kids

Always meet with parents before your child babysits for them.

Babysitting provides preteens and teenagers extra income and teaches them to be prompt, responsible and patient. When your child lands a babysitting job, meet with the parents first, get their home address, their home, work and cell phone numbers, and ask for two or three personal references. Give them your phone numbers and address in case of emergency, too.

Things You'll Need

• Computer with word processing or design program
• Printer paper

Instructions

1. Phone your child's school to see whether it has a babysitting referral program. Many middle and high schools offer a service that refers responsible teenage babysitters to families. If the school doesn't have such a program, work with administrators or teachers to start one.

2. Call your local chamber of commerce, which also might offer a babysitting referral program to residents. Ask for referrals to privately owned services that pair families with babysitters.

3. Help your child create a flier in a word processing or design program to advertise her business. Knock on neighborhood doors with her so she can introduce herself and her services to parents.

4. Post your child's flier on community bulletin boards at grocery stores, coffeehouses, daycare centers and nursery schools. Hand out the fliers at parent-teacher association meetings, too.

5. Enroll your child in an infant CPR course, where more than likely he'll be in a class with new parents. He'll learn an important new skill that helps him market his services, and he'll make babysitting contacts as well.

6. Ask your child to inquire about referrals. If she already has a few babysitting jobs, she can ask parents to refer her to other families. Word of mouth helps her land more jobs.

7. Spread the word at your workplace about your child's babysitting services. You'll feel more at ease if he works for people you know, and he’ll feel safer, too.

Tips & Warnings

• Some states have laws regarding the age when a child can begin babysitting. Check with your state's Department of Labor.

• Enroll your child in a babysitting training course--offered through some community centers, organizations and American Red Cross offices--to prepare him for his new job. Some programs offer certificates of completion, which help promote his business.

• Your child can start a babysitting club with friends so she can have help running her business and attract more customers.

References

• Kids Turn Central: Babysitting
• Thrifty Fun: Finding Babysitting Jobs

Resources

• University of Wisconsin Hospital: Babysitting Basics
• Sitters: Determining How Much to Pay Your Babysitter