Help I want to babysit to supplement my income ?

Question

are there any important things I should do before I start watching children in my home? I have taken classes about planning activities, and I know about child proofing, and only plan on watching 2-3 children so I would have a total of 4 in my house. Is there anything else I should be thinking about?

And what are the main things you look at when you choose a babysitter for your child?

Answer 1

I'm pretty sure you have to have a license to watch multiple families.

I would also suggest becoming CPR certified.

Answer 2

Make sure you have certification in First Aid and Infant/Child/Adult CPR.  This is one of the first thing responsible parents look for in a childcare provider.

Write up contracts for each child's parents, setting the terms, fee, when to drop off and pick up, etc. Contracts are important; they show the parents you are professional and also protects you from parents who try to get away with not paying on time, being late on pick-up, and other silliness.

For the meals you provide, try to keep things simple, and be certain you know all possible allergies. You don't want to have an allergic reaction on your hands.

Plan activities with 5-10 minutes "in-between" time, depending on age. It's going to take some time between activities to get the children to focus on the new one, and this way you aren't stressing to be on the next activity when the children just need a little transition time.

Most importantly, listen to each couple and be certain what they want matches with what you can provide. If it doesn't, it's only going to cause problems down the road!

Good luck!