One of the most tried and true ways to make money as a teen is looking after children, which makes the competition stiff. You may be wondering what you can do to stand out from the rest.

Being a babysitter is obviously not a matter to be taken lightly. You're protecting someone's pride and joy, someone young and vulnerable enough to need constant supervision from you. The consequences of slacking off on this job can be dire. Keep that in mind while undergoing any training programs. Remember that one day you might need to use these skills and take it seriously. So how should you convince someone that you are capable of taking care of their most important asset? Well, ARE you capable of taking care of someone else's children? This may be stating the obvious, but if your little cousin makes your hair stand on end after 20 minutes babysitting isn't for you. Can you handle possibly changing diapers, feeding, clothing, and comforting potentially messy, screaming, or (god forbid) braty little kids? Think about it.

First Aid & Credentials

An area of great importance to parents looking for a babysitter is proficiency in first aid. Should something unfortunate happen these skills can save lives.

The American Red Cross offers an invaluable guide to babysitting, everything from a handy handbook to training in first aid, appropriate games, diapering & feeding, and much more.
There are a number of other babysitting courses offered online, but this one offers everything you need specifically for babysitting and a big bonus is that it's from a source Americans trust. Check your local Red Cross chapter for dates and times here: http://www.redcross.org/services/hss/courses/babyindex.html

 

Getting Work

There are a number of online databases offering a plethora of babysitters from all over the nation. Convenient, right? The downfall is that many of these require fees from either the babysitter or potential clients, which can be a turn off. The upside, however, is the traffic that these sites recieve, as well as the background checks and other requirements they may contain that make it easier for parents to select a trustworthy sitter with less work on their part.

Don't underestimate the effect of grassroots marketing. If you're computer savvy, create a cute flyer and print it out. If you've got boxes upon boxes of crafts, make it by hand. Include the obvious essentials; name, age, phone number, city or cities you can get to (don't include your home address on something this public), days and hours you're available, any credentials, and the age/number of children you feel comfortable taking care of (can you change diapers? Do you feel safe handling very young children?) Copy these off and post them places that parents frequent; super markets, adult schools, large office complexes. Ask business owners specializing in children's products to let you post one. Drop a few off at family or friends houses and ask them to refer you to anyone seeking a sitter. You can also utilize such sites as Craigslist.com, but excersize proper precautions when dealing with anyone you don't personally know, especially from the internet.

 

Pricing

This can be a tricky subject. It's really up to you how much you want to charge, but the deciding factor is what people are willing to pay. Try to check out what the going rate is for sitters around your age and qualifications. If you've got more experience than most you can charge accordingly. There are other factors that may affect what you're willing to accept. If you're especially fond of the children and parents you might see yourself being ok with a pay cut. It's not only about making the most money possible, but being in a desirable work environment.

 

Being Safe & Selective

Babysitting differs greatly from most jobs in that you will be in someone else's home for the duration of your work. Ideally you should try to work for people you know and trust; family, friends of family, coworkers, and people who you are familiar with. Unfortunately this may not be a substantial amount of work and you'll have to open yourself up to new clients. Any trustworthy parents should request an interview with you prior to hiring. You may be nervous but remember that this is your chance to interview them as well. If you feel uneasy about any aspect of their home or personalities, don't risk it. There will be other oppurtunities, and as cliched as it sounds, better safe than sorry.

Another aspect of being selective is not subjecting yourself to anything you can't handle or aren't comfortable with. If your first job is watching 4 kids from 8 a.m to 6 p.m, you might want to reconsider or bring a friend along to help. If you find yourself watching a child who is a little monster, sever the relationship. Do it professionally and let the parents know why you're choosing not to work for them anymore. Don't stick around because they tip you well if you're miserable.

In addition, don't accept underpayments or unexpected changes in scheduled times. It's one thing for a trusted and respected client to come up short one week and repay you the next, but if you're dealing with someone who habitually tries to pay you less than what's agreed upon or are inconsistent with payments, speak with them about it. If it isn't resolved then perhaps you should resign. If you've agreed upon a certain range of hours for you to watch the kids, the parents should stick to them. We all know that certain events can take place which may force a delay on their part, but if parents are constantly telling you they'll be home by 5 then not showing up until 7, that's unacceptable. Especially if it interferes with your family, social life, or most importantly, school work. Unfortunately you may find that people think they can take advantage of you because of your age, don't let this happen.