If you want to become a babysitter and find regular work, the key is to build experience, gain parents’ trust, and show that you take the role seriously. Even if you’re young, you can start by helping family members, offering to work as a “mother’s helper,” taking a First Aid and CPR course, and creating a professional babysitter profile on a platform like Sitly. By setting a fair hourly rate based on your age, experience, and responsibilities, and by going the extra mile during each job, you’ll increase your chances of getting more babysitting work and keeping parents happy.
You want to earn some extra money and start babysitting because you enjoy spending time with children. But how do you actually become a good babysitter? Where should you begin if you want to get started? And how old do you need to be? In this article, you’ll learn how you can become a great babysitter, even at a young age, and make good money doing it.
Babysitting is one of the most enjoyable part-time jobs if you love kids. And here’s some good news for young babysitters: many begin at 12, 13, or 14 years old, caring for younger siblings, relatives, or children of family friends. In some areas, there may be age guidelines for working alone, so starting with a certified babysitting course or helping while a parent is at home can be a great first step.
Becoming a babysitter isn’t difficult, especially if you have family members with young children living nearby. And it often pays more than other small jobs. What you’ll really need to find great families to work for is experience.
Becoming a Good Babysitter Means Gaining Experience
Parents like it when a babysitter has experience. It helps them feel confident about leaving their children in your care. You can gain a lot of experience right in your own community. Do you sometimes look after your younger siblings, nieces or nephews? Or maybe the kids next door? All the experience you already have is valuable. Ask the families you’ve babysat for—whether they’re relatives or not—if you can list them as references. Many parents feel more comfortable if they can speak to someone who already knows you.
Also, check if you can take a First Aid or CPR course focused on children. Many parents feel reassured when they know you’ve completed training like this. It shows them that you take babysitting seriously. And if you don’t have any experience yet, don’t worry. There are plenty of ways to start gaining it so you can find babysitting work quickly.
Do Extra Tasks and Get Asked Back More Often
If you’re babysitting and the kids are already in bed, it can be tempting to just sit on the couch scrolling through your phone or watching TV. But if you really want to be the family’s favourite babysitter, go the extra mile. Wipe down the tables, tidy up the toys, or maybe clean up the kitchen. Is the dishwasher still full? Empty it. Is there laundry in the washing machine? Hang it up quickly.
Parents love it when you put in that extra effort, and they’ll definitely invite you back. In fact, they’ll probably recommend you to other parents as well. Before long, you’ll have more babysitting work than you can handle. And if you don’t mind doing a bit of tidying up in the evening, you can even ask for a little extra pay for it. After all, house cleaners get paid too. Parents are genuinely grateful for these kinds of tasks, because it means they don’t have to do them late at night or the next day. That way, not only do the kids love you, but the parents think you’re the best babysitter ever as well.
Proactive Tips for Landing Babysitting Work
Ready to get started? Don’t just sit around waiting for families to come to you—because they won’t. You need to actively look for babysitting opportunities in your neighbourhood. Let your parents, friends, and teachers know you’re looking for babysitting work. Make a simple flyer about yourself and drop it in the mailboxes of homes with children. That’s called networking.
Sign up for one or more babysitting websites and create a clear, well-written profile to find work faster. On Sitly, for example, you can create a profile once you’re 16 and safely respond to families in your area. You can set your availability and your desired hourly rate. Make sure you have a friendly, professional profile picture. The more complete your profile, the more quickly parents will invite you for an interview.
Set Your Own Babysitting Rate
How do you decide on a fair hourly rate? If you’re young, you might feel a bit shy about negotiating. But it’s important to know what you could be earning. Are you looking after more than one child? Do you also take on extra household tasks? You can charge more for those.
It’s worth remembering that many parents find it awkward to bring up money. So if you can explain your rate confidently, they’re more likely to agree. That’s your first win. And here’s a tip: you can always lower your rate later if needed, but it’s much harder to increase it once you’ve started. That’s why it’s better to start higher.
If you’re looking for inspiration to keep kids entertained, check out our articles on 101 games and activities to do with children at home, games for kids aged 8–10, activities for kids aged 6–7, and 25 educational games for kids aged 5. With the right approach, babysitting can be a rewarding job that helps you grow skills, earn money, and make a real difference in a child’s life.
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