Being a babysitter can be a tough job. Have you ever thought about what it would be like to babysit a child, and take care of them? I know I have, and I used that opportunity to start babysitting. I want to use what I have learned to teach you, the reader, about what you should and what you shouldn’t when you are babysitting.

There is a lot of information you NEED to know about before your first babysitting gig. From what I read from my research, a business plan is essential so that you know what you are doing and how you're going to do it. The plan includes how you're going to clients and if you are running your own babysitting business or are you joining another business. You have to think of safe locations for you and the child, and be safe in general. The safety of the child comes first, this means do not post the child on any type of social media without the parents permission, this means make sure the parents know where you and their child is at all times. Some other things you have to think about is what age and gender the child is going to be so  that you have the right toys or activities planned or maybe even if you need to be prepared if you are changing diapers, if you are feeding a child and have the right foods that they eat, bathing them right, etc. The number one thing you need to know is if you are prepared during an emergency. Emergencies aren’t very common but you need to know if you are going to be able to act in the situation and not just freeze or freak out. 

Communication with the parent is important because you need to be able to talk to the parent if anything goes wrong, or if you don’t know something, or even if you just want to have good relationships with them. I know it can be kind of nervous to talk to the parents, but you will have to learn how to not sound scared or alarming and speak calmly, talk to them and keep up with your responsibility. Don’t forget communication with the child is also important because you have to get to know them, get to know what they like to do, what they like to watch on tv, what do they usually do during the day, what type of foods they eat, what their schedule looks like, and so on. Building relationships and bonds with the child is one of the most important things you can do. Especially if you’re going to be a babysitter, the best way to have clients is to keep them happy and want them to let you be their child’s babysitter again, and again.

Being a babysitter can be exciting, can make you feel useful and youthful. Being with a child all day, or for days maybe, you need to learn how to be an entertaining babysitter. That means talk to them about their likes and dislikes, play games with them, go places if you can. Maybe even dance, sing, tell funny stories or jokes. Just be more open and trusting with the child so it makes the job easier for the both of you guys. Something you need to know though, is to not try to be their bestest of friends. This can lead to the child acting out and can even make you lose your job. Setting aside being a friend, and your responsibilities, do the right thing and set a good example.