“Am I old enough?” — Most families will be uncomfortable hiring a babysitter who is young, so you may have to try harder to earn their trust than other babysitters. “Am I mature enough to watch kids by myself?” — You need to have focus, stamina, and emotional control to be able to successfully babysit kids. Even if you’re a young teen, you need to be able to be the adult in the room. “Can I dedicate myself to the job?” — Babysitting takes a lot of time and energy, so make sure you can handle the stress and the time taken away from things like schoolwork.

Also ask yourself things like: “Can I change a diaper?”; “Do I know when kids start walking?”; “Do I know how to calm a child who bumps an elbow or scrapes a knee?” If your answers are “no,” seek advice from, and opportunities to observe and assist, friends and family with small children.

The ability to communicate with kids. Do you know how to speak simply, calmly, directly, and positively with a child? Respect for differences. Are you comfortable around people who may have different lifestyles, belief systems, or economic backgrounds than yours? A willingness to be a good role model. Can you be someone who kids will look up to and want to emulate?

For example, if you see signs of potential abuse—for instance, frequent, unexplained bruises; fear of physical contact or undressing; unsafe living conditions—you must be willing to act. You need to confide in an adult you trust and work with them to call a child abuse hotline or the police.

There may, for instance, be age restrictions in your area that you don’t yet meet. Ask other babysitters for information on regulations where you live. Also call or check the website of the health, human services, or similar department of your local government.

Look for in-person or online certification programs from reputable organizations, such as (in the U. S. ) the American Red Cross. [4] X Research source You must be at least 11 years old to take the Red Cross babysitting certification course. The course costs around $40-$50 USD. Local colleges or universities might also offer certification programs. [5] X Research source

The American Red Cross, for instance, offers First Aid and CPR certifications in conjunction with babysitting certification, but they aren’t required. Red Cross First Aid and/or CPR courses cost in the $80-$100 USD range. [6] X Research source

The American Red Cross offers a 50-page emergency handbook for download.

Make sure you get the permission of the family before “tagging along” on a babysitting gig. If they’re willing to pay you a little, great. But expect it to be an unpaid volunteer experience. Also keep in mind that you’re there to learn, not to hang out with your friend who happens to be a babysitter.

“What age range of children would I like to work with?” – For instance, are you comfortable working with infants? “How many kids am I willing or able to care for at once?” – For a new babysitter, one kid can often seem like plenty! “Am I willing to care for pets as well?" – If so, just cats and dogs, or more exotic pets like birds or reptiles? “How far am I willing to travel to babysit?” – How are you going to get to your gigs, and how much will it cost you in time and/or money? If you don’t drive yet, you may need to rely on a parent or someone else to get you to your jobs. “How late can I work, and which days of the week can I work?” – You might want to limit yourself to weekends and no later than 11 pm, for example. If you’re a teen, this is also something you’ll need to work out with your parents.

Under “Experience,” list some quick details (age and number of children, hours/days watched, etc. ) for previous babysitting jobs. If this is your first resume and you haven’t worked any solo gigs yet, describe your experiences watching siblings or cousins, helping out another babysitter, and so on.

Especially if you’re a pre-teen or teen, you should not try to advertise your services online or by posting flyers around town. It can be unsafe to share your address and/or contact information publicly. If you’re 18 or older, you might consider signing up for one or more of the several websites that help connect babysitters with jobs; for instance (in the U. S. ), https://www. sittercity. com/babysitters or https://www. care. com/babysitters.

It’s fine to dress in age-appropriate clothes, but make sure they’re clean and relatively modest. You want to look a little mature for your age, but not like you’re trying to pretend you’re an adult already (unless you are one!). Show some enthusiasm for the job by being friendly and engaging. If you’re nervous, take a few deep breaths before knocking on the door.

“Will you always be back by 10 pm, or would I be expected to work past that sometimes?” “Would I be giving the children baths and putting them to bed?” “Would I need to feed, watch, and let out the dog as well?” “Are there foods or snacks that are off-limits for your kids?” “Is your youngest child fully potty-trained yet?”

If you have to travel a fair distance to get to the job, factor in things like travel expenses as well. You might want to ask for $5-$10 per shift for fuel, for example. If you’re new to babysitting, expect to start at a lower rate than experienced babysitters. After you prove your reliability, you can ask for a raise.

Make sure they provide you with a backup number (for a relative, neighbor, etc. ) if they can’t be reached for some reason, and clarify when it would be appropriate for you to call emergency services.

Not all kids and families are going to be the best match for you. If the kids seem like they’re more than you can handle, or if the parents seem too demanding (or even not demanding enough), consider looking for another gig.