How to Start a Babysitting Business

Babysitting is temporarily caring for a child. Babysitting is commonly performed as a job by all ages. The majority of time, babysitting workers tend to be in middle school, high school or college (12-) There are some adults who have in home childcare as well. The type of work for babysitting workers also varies from watching a sleeping child, changing diapers, playing games, preparing meals, to teaching the child to read or even driving (if the age is right), depending on the agreement between parents and babysitter. In some countries various organizations produce courses for babysitters, mainly focusing on child safety and first aid appropriate for infants and children. These classes or courses can be provided at local hospitals and sometimes even schools. These classes can equip the babysitter with information to keep both the child, or children, and sitter safe in various health and weather scenarios. If you are looking for a small business start-up, babysitting can be one of the best business ideas around. Babysitting provides business experience and insight that will pay off throughout your professional career. Not only is it an inexpensive start-up, but it offers flexibility, non-seasonal and recession-resistant markets, as well as being an all-cash business. Babysitters can make as much money as their schedule permits while still accommodating the demands of their school and personal lives.

Babysitting Business Instruction

Step 1

Obtain relevant experience that you can document. Whether you are a teen or an adult, you will have to prove your ability to a potential client with references, credentials or proof of experience. While having references of sitting jobs you have performed for relatives is positive, you will want to get references from unbiased sources even if you have to volunteer your services at first.

Step 2

Receive certification for basic child care and child safety classes. Even if you have taken child care courses in college, you will still need to find a safety and first aid course offered by the American Red Cross or a local non-profit that is specific to infant and child safety. You should also seek certification in child and infant CPR. Not only will this make you more marketable, but it can mean the difference between life and death in an emergency situation. Babysitting child care classes are also available through the Red Cross.

Step 3

Establish a pricing schedule that is reasonable to both the target customer and your financial need. You will need to justify what you charge with the experience and level of service you will provide. While most rates range between $10 and $25 per hour, it may be reasonable to charge more or less depending on the duration and level of care necessary for a particular job.

Step 4

Start a business account at your local bank. Opening a separate account will help you keep track of your revenues and any business-related expenses for tax purposes, not to mention tracking your business success.

Step 5

Advertise your babysitting service. Whether you are offering your services as a solo contractor or beginning a fully developed company hiring out professional sitters, you’ll get the most bang for your advertising dollar if you display your marketing message (fliers, business cards and brochures) in venues that are trusted by your target consumer. Ask the local pastor if he would mention your business at the close of services or advertise in the weekly bulletin, or get permission to pass out fliers at the local school PTA meetings.

Tips

• Wear comfortable and presentable clothing.

• Check with your parents that running your own business is okay. If they're uncomfortable about you doing this alone, suggest that you do it with a friend as well.

• Exhibit a positive attitude. This will help parents feel reassured and they'll appreciate your professionalism.

• Get infant and child CPR and First Aid certification. Parents will be more likely to hire someone who has these qualifications.

• First time babysitting is easiest with kids you already know.

• If you're under 16, it can helpful to bring along a parent or guardian for the initial interview with the people seeking babysitting. This reassures the other parents that your own parents are invested in your success and that you mean business, and it also protects you.

• Know how to cook, clean and change diapers (nappies).

• Write down all the rules, health, safety and other, as the parents give them to you. That way, you won't forget them and the parents will be reassured that you're not only listening but you're also recording for future reference.

• Be responsible at all times. You are in charge of young people, so do not use this as an excuse to ignore them or fail to check on them.

• It would be good to meet the parent in a public place with assistance to know if it is a scam.

• Make sure you have the parents phone number or email and make them have your.

• Make sure your ready for this. It can be difficult. If aren't quite ready for babysitting you can try parent helping which is when you watch the child while the parent is doing jobs or chores.

• Before accepting a babysitting job always interview the potential client and meet with the child you will be caring for. Ask questions that will clearly tell you the customer's expectations regarding the amount of care necessary, preview the environment where you will provide the child care and interact with the child to make sure you will be able to handle their normal behavior and temperament.

Reference

• How to Start a Babysitting Business