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Is baby sitting right for me? I'm 14 yrs. Old & I want to earn money on my own but the only problem is finding someone who needs a baby sitter. I baby sit for my aunt & uncle & they tell me that they'll pay me but when they come home they just forget & I really need to earn some money so that I can show my parents that I'm responsible enough to spend my money on things I need & not that I want? What should I do?
Babysitting is a very good part time job plus good experience for you. Are your parents supportive? A good start is to attend a babysitting clinic where you are taught basics of CPR and First Aid, plus child development and techniques in child care. Sometimes the local hospital will sponsor these classes, or the Red Cross, or the YMCA. There may be other sponsors also for those classes.
Then you can post an ad in the newspaper, make up and distribute flyers, etc. to let people know you are available. Maybe some couple(s) in your church would be willing to get you started. Someone who already knows you. Babysitting for your Aunt and Uncle and not receiving any pay is pretty dirty of them. They know they would have to pay someone else who was not a relative. Your parents should be sticking up for you on that. But family matters get sticky.
Good luck to you! My first job was babysitting, back when 25 cents an hour was big time stuff for a babysitter. Lol.
I think you are being very wise at your age. I started babysitting when I was 10 to make extra money. This is what I did. I checked with the local firehouse to see if they were offering free CPR courses. They did and I took it and earned a certificate in CPR. Parents like that. Then, I put up adds in the supermarkets and passed out flyers to all my neighbors with children, with the info that I had CPR training. Once I started babysitting the kids of those people who responded, word spread around to other parents. It was a nice little business.
Does that sound like a good plan to you? I don't if you can find CPR courses for free but your parents may like your initiative and help you out in finding a course and may pay for it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sleepygurl
Hey you should get together some of your friends and put up posters and flyers.
Saying what you can do and how good you are with kids. Some things are CPR,having your own siblings and baby sitting them,loves kids, and you can think of more I bet.
Hottie_2231
Your at just the right age for the responsibility. Just do not let any boys try to talk you into shirking the job. [We will try our best lol] -- Savage
There is even a course you can take, online, for babysitting. Cost is $17.50. I am not endorsing this but just for your information. A real live course is all the better, plus you need the CPR and First Aid.
The online course - BabysittingClass.com training - Get the information you need to handle the challenges of babysitting
The Red Cross Training Program - American Red Cross - Health and Safety Services
I passed the word through my mother's Sunday school class back in the Ice Age when I babysat. I had all the work I wanted. Take any courses you can get through your community center or scouts and have fun!
When I first wanted to start babysitting, I also took the CPR and babysitting courses, but what really helped was being a "mother's helper." If you don't know, a mother's helper is someone who watches the kids while the mom (or dad!) is at home, so that they can get things done around the house, and see that you are responsible and good with their children. I found people to babysit for by sending flyers to my neighbors, and then through word of mouth. Good Luck!
You should tell your parents to ask you uncle or aunt if you did a good job babysitting or notQuote:
Originally Posted by Sleepygurl
14 is a great age! There are more people out there looking for babysitters than you may think. We live in an area where we don't have any family to help out on "date nights" and are always looking for someone responsible to take care of our daughter. You could post flyers at your local post office or grocery store. Also, you could hand out flyers to neighbors that you know have kids.
A lot of people think that at 14 - you wouldn't want to babysit - so may not ask.
I also agree that babysitting is a very good way to make some extra money. CPR training and babysitting courses are a definite plus nowadays, as people will view this as you really having the best intersts of their child at heart and that you are serious about wanting to babysit and not just about the money. In addition to this, once you do get the jobs, do things with the children such as reading to them, doing crafts and not just popping a movie in. Children talk to their parents about the things that they do with their babysitters and have more of say than you realize when it comes to who the parents will call back again and again and again. This was one thing that I did with the kids that I babysat when I was your age and was why I was more successful with getting more babysitting jobs than the rest of my friends. My friends did not do this. Bring more quality to the job that you perform and you will be highly sought after!! Talk with all of your parents' friends in the neighborhood and offer them a slight discount just for trying you out. Of course, make them aware that you are providing them with a one time discount just for giving you a chance and let them know that if they like your services that you will be charging them a different rate when they call you back. Post flyers in all the places that are near your home, but word of mouth is really the best way to promote your "business". Good luck to you!!
I am also trying to get into babysitting. But I know how to get the word out. You can hand out flyers, talk to relatives that live nearby (that you know will pay), and talk to people you know with children. What you can also do is, once the mail is put in the mailbox, put your flyer in there with it. Here are some ideas on how to get the word out.
It is illegal to put flyers or anything in the mailbox. You can put them anywhere BUT in the mailbox.
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