How to Become a Certified Babysitter

How to Become a Certified Babysitter

To become a certified babysitter and qualify to work with little children while their parents are away will involve going through certain training and certification processes.

This post provides a guide to help you achieve your goal of becoming a trusted babysitter.

Read on, but first…

What is Babysitting?

Babysitting is the temporary arrangement to give care to children. Although it can be carried out by an individual of any age group, it is generally believed to serve as a temporary engagement or employment activity for teens who are too young to be considered for employment in the general economy.

Being a babysitter avails an individual the social interaction with children and an exposure to the techniques of child care.

Babysitting is said to have begun in the 1920s, and gained popularity in the 50s and 60s with the increase in population of children.

Although babysitting could be fun, it also comes with a number of challenges, generally with dealing with children. While in one minute, the baby may be sleeping and the place too calm, the next, the child may be running around disorganizing the entire environment for fun.

Educational Requirements to Become a Babysitter

Usually, babysitters are kids who may not have reached the age of employment into formal job positions. They may include middle and high school, and often times college students, although it is not impossible to see older adults engage in this form of work.

Passing a background check is most required to do the job. Generally, a high school diploma or post-secondary qualification should be okay.

Babysitter Certifications

It is not strange for institutions to offer training and qualification exams that may fit into this roles; like Early Childhood Education degrees or a Bachelor’s in Child Studies, but the certification and licensing process may often involve the number of children to be taken care of.

It may also involve completing some forms and paying a license fees in some states, meeting the required home inspection, safety, and cleanliness requirements by the licensing agents.

The Child Development Associate CDA is a certification administered by the Centre for Professional Recognition for aspiring babysitters, which requires 480 hours of work with children and 180 hours of formal child care education.

Roles, Duties, and Responsibilities for Babysitters

Although the majority of babysitters can be found within the teenage ages; from middle school, high school, to college years, there are adults who also engage in this profession on a formal basis.

Their responsibilities may include: watching over a sleeping child, changing diapers, engaging the child in games, preparing food for the child, and teaching the child to read.

The duties of the babysitter depend on the terms of contract between him/her and the child’s parents.

Sometimes, the babysitter may be required to work long hours, including overnight, and even on vacations, depending on the parents’ engagements.

Skills Required to Succeed as a Babysitter

There is no doubt that babysitting requires some skills, especially when the process is a formal business. Skills levels may be needed in areas of creativity, adventure, and even play, and the realities of the age of the child you are taking care of needs to be prepared for.

Here are some skills to develop to make your work as a babysitter easy and enjoyable:

• Having a business plan: This requires that you develop methods of getting clients, especially if you are new to the business. Clients can be gotten by spreading information about what you do to friends, neighbors, and even family.
• Safety and comfort level: Ensuring the safety of the kid in your care is very important and demands that you not only ask questions about what the parents expect, but be prepared to have a look at the environment for the job and make sure it is relatively safe for the kids. You should also ensure that you are in control in the environment to be able to keep the child safe at all times.
• Having a proper knowledge of the age groups: In case you cannot properly handle kids below a certain age range, or those with certain disabilities, it is important not to attempt to pick up such jobs. The work of a babysitter requires a great deal of patience and carefulness.
• Have basic child care skills: Skills like changing diapers, bathing a child and even singing may be needed to make things easy for the babysitter on the job.
• Safety: Being able to handle emergencies and little incidents can be immensely rewarding. Preparing ahead of time and knowing a few things like allergies and tools that are choking hazards can also be helpful.
• Entertainment skills: Parents will love it if a babysitter helps their kids have fun and also learn. You can do a little research on the games kids of various ages like to play.

Career Opportunities for Babysitters

Babysitters can either work individually or in a formal organization as children day-care services.

Salary Expectations for Babysitters

The median salary expectation for babysitters can be as high as $19,730 depending on the number of children to be taken care of at a sitting and in a given period.