July 11
I made quite a bit of money babysitting when I was a teenager. I have about five or six regular families that relied on me for weekends and special occasions. And I genuinely enjoyed spending time with the children and there really were not any ages I could not manage to keep entertained. Raiding the refrigerator while I was babysitting was an added bonus. Families with the better stocked fridge and bigger TVs usually became repeat clients.
Even the most attentive parents need a babysitter once in a while. Finding someone you can trust so you and your partner can go out on much deserved Friday night date can be a daunting task. There are some steps you can take to make sure you choose the right person to invite into your home for a few hours while you get away because time away from home. And time away is enjoyable only when parents are secure in the knowledge that their children are in good hands.
How do parents go about providing safe services so they can enjoy that important time away from home? First of all, try to avoid feeling as if you are hiring a substitute parent when you select a baby sitter. No matter how conscientious the sitter, she will not care for the child in precisely the same way as a parent, and it's both unfair and unwise to expect a carbon copy parent. Once convinced that the sitter is a decent, kind individual, and then it is best to allow that person to be herself (within the framework of the family's needs and rules) and to react with her own good judgment.
Before you even begin looking for a candidate it’s important that you know what you would be comfortable with. Think about certain qualifications that you want the person to have. Knowing this will help ensure you hire the right babysitter. Make a list of what you prefer, including age, gender and location. You also need to consider what you are willing to spend. Gone are the days of $1.00 per hour (my personal babysitting rate all through high school). You can expect to pay as much as $5, $10 or even $20 per hour based on age and experience.
Most babysitters are not professionals they are teenagers who are looking for pocket money from their neighbors. If you’re lucky you will find just the right sitter for your family (and may not often share her number even with your closest of friends). In addition to experience it might be a good idea to find out if your sitter has had any formal training.
The American Red Cross popular Babysitter’s Training can be a helpful class for young adults looking for ways to earn extra money this summer. This class is great for developing leadership skills and students gain the confidence to make smart decisions while babysitting.
Designed for youth from ages 11 to 15, the Red Cross Babysitter’s Training provides young adults who plan to babysit the knowledge and skills necessary to safely and responsibly give care to infants and children under their watch. The course is fun and fast-paced with hands-on activities, exciting video, role-plays and lively discussions.
The babysitting course has many unique features and one of them is a CD-ROM that the participants get to take home with them. The CD contains templates for business cards, emergency preparedness information and a downloadable book with games and recipes to help students get started on their own babysitting business.
Students receive Red Cross Babysitter’s Training Kit at the end of the course which includes valuable babysitting resources that they can take home with them. For more information about the American Red Cross’s Babysitter Training course call 219-464-8189. Once you find the right babysitter remember to keep your fridge well stocked!
