Teenage Babysitters

When times are tough, even a babysitting job can be a lifesaver for many teens. So what's the best way for teens to find and keep those hard to find jobs?
The mommy network is the best way to infiltrate that job market. Teens need to tell the moms in the neighborhood that they are responsible, available and reliable. They should not set a price for their services too early, because the job may vary depending upon the circumstances.
The mommy network works because moms ask each other who is good as a babysitter, informally. So teens are pre-screened by moms without looking at a resume or list of requirements.
I have a great deal of experience in babysitting as well as hiring babysitters. From the age of 12, I remember getting paid fifty cents an hour to babysit kids across the street. My mom was home, of course, in case I needed help. That job let to babysitting up and down Maple Street, in Garden City, New York. As far as hiring babysitters, we started hiring them when our first daughter was about six months old. Often, the sitter was here when I was home, working. So that way I could be around to observe the sitter and feel comfortable once we did go out. Before long, we had four children, and that's when I needed to have a database of babysitters to call upon. I kept a spreadsheet of sitters and updated it regularly. Moms from my neighborhood relied upon me to give them names and numbers of the good sitters. And willingly, I shared. The sitters I used appreciated my referrals and told me that. That's the mommy network.
My neighbors wanted to know how I found all of the sitters. I went to the local universities and schools and I found the "Job Board" and contacted the sitters myself. Then I had them come to the house and I interviewed them, getting at least three referrals from each. Most of them had come from a different city, so they had experience, but no current work opportunities. Thus, I was a welcome employer for a few hours a week.
Teenagers grow up when they babysit. They consider themselves responsible when they step into this role. They have fun playing with young children, too. It's a time for them to extend their imaginations through the eyes of others. And children like teens because they are like smaller grownups and more closely related to their ages.
Before a teen should consider babysitting, they should take training classes in infant CPR, as well as basic training in babysitting needs and expectations. Teens' fees for babysitting should depend upon how much training, as well as experience. Other factors are how many children will they be watching, and for how many hours? Of course, there are factors, such as , what's the current typical wage in your neighborhood, which again, will be found from the mommy network.
Teenagers need to balance their babysitting hours with their other responsibilities, including academics, service, and family obligations. They need to be aware that their parents may have planned something for the family, such as an outing, so they need to check before accepting jobs.
Overall, babysitting offers freedom for teenagers. They are not tied into a long term work, but have the flexibilty to say "yes" or "no." with few consequences. And the money is usually good value for fun work.