This is a
question most new babysitters face. Babysitting
for relatives (younger brothers and sisters
and cousins) is a good way to start. If family
is not a source of babysitting jobs, the
following tips may be helpful.
Ask your parents to suggest
your name to their friends and the people
they work with.
Tell your teachers and other adults who work at your school that you
have started to babysit.
Ask your friends or an older
brother or sister to give your name as a
substitute when they are not available.
(Remember you still need to check
references.)
Take a flier or letter and
pass it out to people you know. Include
(1) your name, (2) telephone, (3) hours
you are available to babysit, (4) curfews
on school nights, (5) some of the things
you learned in your Safe SitterŪ class.
You may want to offer one hour of free
babysitting . If you distribute fliers,
it is always better to deliver them in person rather than just putting them in
mailboxes. By personally handing them
out, it gives the adult a chance to ask
you questions. If their children are
present, be sure to smile and call them
by name.
Do not post your
flier in a public place or on the Internet.
You
should NEVER babysit for
a person you can't check references on.
Volunteer to babysit in the
nursery at your church. When parents pick
up their children, they will have the
opportunity to see how you interact with
their child. Showing how much you like
the children is the best way to get a
parent's attention and a babysitting job.