Providing life skills, safety skills, and child care training in order to build safer communities.
Not every babysitting job is the right fit — and knowing when to say no is just as important as knowing how to say no. Before accepting any babysitting job, there are three questions every babysitter needs to ask to make sure the job is safe, manageable, and approved by their parents.
When I started babysitting, I thought I had to take every job that came along.
So, Kayla, she tends to throw tantrums. Nap time, mealtime, bedtime, and playtime. I got a dog, Fido. Can you feed him for me if you don’t mind? He does bite, so don’t get too close. Took the mailman’s finger off. It’s okay, doctors put it back on. Counts and everything now. Gotta go!
Thankfully, I learned how to say no real quick. Here’s a few questions you have to ask yourself before accepting a babysitting gig.
Question number one: Will I be safe? Let me break it down for you. If there are dangerous pets, dangerous people, or dangerous surroundings, turn that job down. What’s dangerous, you ask? Anything that makes you feel uncomfortable.
Creepy neighbor?
Yep.
Aggressive dog?
Yep.
What about guns in the house?
Good question. If you talk with the homeowner and they’ve assured you that the guns are unloaded and securely locked up with ammunition securely locked up in a separate location, and, and here’s the most important part, you feel comfortable with that, then freely accept the job. But, if the guns are not securely locked up or you or your parents are uncomfortable with you babysitting in a home that has guns at all, then turn that job down.
Back to question two. Do I have the skills to handle this job? You always need to make sure you have the ability and the experience to handle each babysitting job. For example, if you’re new to babysitting, you probably shouldn’t start with a newborn since they require special care. And if the job is babysitting more kids than you can watch at one time or supposed to last more hours than you have the energy for, turn that job down.
And finally, question number three. Are my parents okay with me taking this job? Unless you’re 18, you need to check with your parents before accepting a job. For one thing, they may remember things that you forgotten like you have a family reunion that day or you have a big test the next morning. Or, after the great poop explosion of 2018 you swore, you’d never babysit for the Smiths again.
For another thing, at this age, parents still get veto power so even if you think you can handle a job, they may disagree. Next time on Babysitter Boss, I’ll show you how to turn down a job. Get ready! You may want to take notes.
