Babysitting as a Business

Babysitting as a Business
(Frequently Asked Questions)

What should I do about transportation when babysitting at the home of a single parent?
How should I decide if a babysitting job is a good job for me?
What should I charge to babysit?
I am a very good babysitter. I am responsible, smart and fun but, I have problems finding babysitting jobs. Do you have any suggestions on how I can find more babysitting jobs?
Sometimes I don't feel like babysitting. But when somebody asks me, I feel forced to say "yes" because if I say "no", I think they won't like me. Is there an easier way to say "no"?

What should I do about transportation when babysitting at the home of a single parent?

This falls under the category of "Am I able?" Your are responsible for asking about transportation before accepting the job. When the employer is a single parent, it may be inconvenient (because of naps or bedtime) to take the children along on the babysitter's ride home. The employer may request that the sitter provide transportation to and from the job. The sitter needs to check our arrangements with his/her own parents. If the babysitter can't arrange transportation, the babysitter needs to tell the employer he/she is not able to accept the babysitting job. In a very special situation: i.e. a close relative, the babysitter's parents may allow him/her to spend the night as a solution. In all situations, the sitter's safety is the #1 priority.

How should I decide if a babysitting job is a good job for me?

Most babysitters start out by babysitting for relatives, such as younger brothers and sisters and cousins. If possible, start out babysitting for preschoolers - children ages 3-5 years.
Probably the most frequent babysitting job in the U.S. is babysitting for younger school age siblings. This is also one of the most difficult jobs because of the transfer of authority. Parents can help make it easier by making it clear the older child is in charge. (Rules should be given in front of all of the children.) The babysitter can help to make it easier by approaching the job determined to make it fun and be fair in the rules.
You should start by babysitting for only one or two children at one time. More than two children are too hard to guard.
You should not babysit for an infant less than six months of age until you've had at least two years experience babysitting. An infant under six months of age involves too many risks and may lead to frustration. Even with experience, a newborn (an infant less than one month of age) is not an appropriate babysitting job for a teenager.
You should start out with short babysitting jobs. The babysitting job is too long if it is more than three hours when the children are awake and more than five hours when the children are sleeping.
You should not accept a summer babysitting job where you babysit every day. Even during the school year, you should not accept jobs for both weekend evenings. You need time to have fun yourself and day-after-day jobs are too demanding.
Your safety should always be your primary concern. Sometimes you may be good for a babysitting job, but the job may not be good for you. Ask yourself if you would feel safe with the parents, being alone in their house, and in their neighborhood. Potential problems may include an older brother or sister of the children who might come home during the babysitting job, a request for an overnight babysitting job, parents who continually stay out later than their expected return time, parents returning impaired from drugs or alcohol, non-custodial parent demanding to take the children, etc.

What should I charge to babysit?

Dr. Keener, the Founder of Safe Sitter®, feels you need to take the task of deciding what to charge very seriously. The question shows you want to be fair to yourself and the family requesting a sitter. There are several steps to arriving at your charge.

	Step 1 - Find out what other sitters are charging and what parents are used to paying. Find out the normal rate and what they pay for extras such as more than two children and special dates, like New Year's Eve. Don't forget to ask yourself, "Am I able?" and "Will I be safe?" A higher rate doesn't change your ability or make an unsafe situation safe.
	Step 2 - Determine a rate based on whether you have completed a babysitting preparation course (like Safe Sitter®), your experience babysitting, and your age. If you are fairly new at babysitting, you need to charge at the low end of average in your community.
	Step 3 - Go over your rate with your parent.

I am a very good babysitter. I am responsible, smart and fun but, I have problems finding babysitting jobs. Do you have any suggestions on how I can find more babysitting jobs?

Your relatives (younger brothers and sisters and cousins) will probably be the first children you babysit for. If family is not a source of babysitting jobs, the following tips may be helpful.

Ask your parents to suggest your name to their friends and the people they work with.

Tell your teachers and other adults who work at your school that you babysit.

Volunteer to babysit in the nursery at your church. When parents pick up their children, they will have the opportunity to see how you interact with their child. Showing how much you like children is the best way to get a parent's attention and a babysitting job.

Ask your friends or an older brother or sister to give your name as a substitute when they are not available. (Remember, you still need to check references.)

Design a flier about yourself and pass it out to people you know. Include: (1) your name; (2) telephone; (3) hours you are usually available to babysit; (4) curfews on school nights; (5) your hourly rate; and (6) some of the things you learned in your Safe Sitter® class. You may want to offer one hour of free babysitting. When distributing your fliers, it is always better to deliver them in person rather than put them in mailboxes. By personally handing them out, the adult has a chance to talk with you and ask any questions. If their children are present, be sure to smile and speak to them.

DO NOT post your flier in a public place or on the Internet. You place yourself at risk when your name and phone number are available to people you have no way of checking on.

Sometimes I don't feel like babysitting. But when somebody asks me, I feel forced to say "yes" because if I say "no", I think they won't like me. Is there an easier way to say "no"?

This is a very common problem that many Safe Sitters face. Beware of accepting a job you really don't want. Every time you babysit you need to be mentally and physically ready to take the responsibility for the lives of children. Babysitting too much can rob you of your own social life, your free time, and your "down-time" when you just relax.

You need to take care of yourself in order to take care of children. You will be doing everyone a favor by saying "no" to babysitting overload. Parents may pressure you, but a firm refusal, coupled with a comment about liking the children and calling again, is the safest and wisest course of action.