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Identifying the Signs of Child Abuse
All child care providers, whether they are Los Angeles babysitters or babysitters in Butte, need to be able to recognize the signs of child abuse. When you register as a babysitter for Babysitters4Hire.com, you assume that you will not be touched by this serious issue. But in according to U.S. Government statistics in 2005, over 900,000 children were abused by adults. As a babysitter, you need to be able to identify the signs of abuse, which include:.
Failure to provide basic food, clothing, hygiene
Reckless disregard for the child's safety
Refusal to provide timely health care.
Abandoning the child without providing for their basic needs.
Failure to enroll a child in school.
Permitting or causing a child to miss school.
Refusing to address a child's special education needs.
Inadequate affection
Exposure to spousal abuse
Permitting a minor child to drink alcohol or use recreational drugs
Failure to intervene when child demonstrated antisocial behavior
If you see any of these symptoms, call The Childheld National Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-4-A-CHILD (800-422-4453).
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Babysitter Tip: Your First Time Babysitting
If you are just starting out as a San Fransisco babysitter the first few babysitting jobs can be intimidating. Have an experienced caregiver lined up to give you advice if you find yourself in a pinch. A quick phone call can save you from panic.
Trust your instinct. If you believe a child is lying to you, they probably are. If you are uncomfortable with the safety level of any given activity, just say no. The children will adapt.
Make sure you have a clear understanding of what is expected of you. It’s better to ask questions, than to struggle through a misunderstanding. You should have a clear idea of what the family ground rules are, how much you are going to be paid, and what to do in case of emergencies. Make sure you have parent and emergency contact information.
Of course the best cure for inexperience is to take more babysitting jobs. Registering with an online babysitting service such as Babysitters4Hire.com will make that happen.
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Make Business Cards
You have many priorities in your life that are sometimes hard to balance. You try to remember the names of coworkers, contacts, due dates for projects and assignments. The list goes on and on. You may have already come across the perfect family to babysit for ... but you lost their contact information. You may have heard of someone whose child you would love to watch a while back, but can no longer find their number.
But what if you had given them your business card? Contrary to popular belief, basic business cards are very inexpensive to make. You are not in the babysitting business to spend all your earnings on promoting yourself, but you may be able to promote yourself just as well without spending hardly any money at all. Vista Print is one company who regularly offers a special for 250 business cards for free. You must choose from their templates and designs and pay for shipping, however, you cannot beat free when it comes to color business cards. Visit their website for more information. Office Max also offers basic black and white cards for very cheap prices.
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Babysitter Tip: Special-Needs Kids
If you have a child with special needs, whether it be physical, mental, or behavioral, your Los Angeles babysitter must be not only briefed about your child's condition, but must be given the opportunity to ask questions and study up on the condition, as well as make the decision as to whether or not she feels ready to take on the extra responsibility. This may limit your number of options of good babysitters, but would you seriously place your child in the arms of someone who did not want that responsibility or was unwilling to learn how to care for your special needs child? Take extra consideration in these details if you have an older child who is unable to walk or use the restroom by himself as these are extra liabilities for you as a parent as well as your babysitter. You want someone who is both excited and looking forward to the challenge and joy of working with a special needs child like yours.
Babysitters4Hire.com has a special search feature that will tell you whether a babysitter is willing to work with special-needs children.
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Prepare a Resume
The days of babysitters getting a job by simply looking like a nice, responsible person are gone. You, like any professional with good intentions should meet parents prepared with a resume. Your resume will give a positive first impression of you. Parents greeted with a resume will know that you have experience, are professional, and will take the well-being of their child seriously. This resume can also be included in your portfolio if you so choose to create one.
Your resume should feature your babysitting experience in chronological order with the contact information of the parents involved. If you have a great deal of experience, use the information for the most long-term jobs as these will be the families that will give you the best recommendations as they know you well. Highlight any related educational experience you have, especially degrees or childcare courses from college, or seminars. If you are CPR certified, mention it. Finally, list any extra special memories you have that truly touched you and describe how they have made you a better babysitter. It sounds impossible, but try to keep your resume to one page, with a two-page maximum. More than this will not get read.
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Babysitter Tip: Find a Babysitting Job Online
If you are trying to find a babysitting job, consider using an online babysitting network. Different networks offer different resources. The opportunity to post a quality profile will increase your ability to find a babysitting job. Babysitters4Hire.com allows you to post a photo, work experience, education/training, expected pay and even what hours you are available for babysitting jobs.
Your site profile is your business card; create it to make an impact. Select a photo that projects responsibility and kindness. A parent's worst nightmare is a babysitter with guests, so avoid pictures that show you with your boyfriend/girlfriend or a group of friends.
Use the "experience" section to your full advantage. Even if your previous babysitting jobs were for relatives, don't sell yourself short. For example: "Provided overnight care for my three-year-old cousin, including meal preparation and transportation," is more impressive than "Took care of my three-year-old cousin a couple of times."
Think about skills that would add value from a parent's point of view. Can you cook? Will you help with homework? Are you good with crafts? Add this to your information section.
The American Red Cross offers babysitting training and certification. If you are short on experience, this is something to consider. A training class on your list of qualifications shows dedication, and will give you an edge over your competition.
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Babysitter Training
When you hire a babysitter, ask them about training and experience before you ask them to do a job. A popular babysitter-training course is offered through the Red Cross. The course teaches babysitters decision-making skills, basic business skills and safety information among other things. Classes are given in many community locations and cost as little around $20. If you really bond with a potential babysitter who has not attended this class, it may be worth your while to pay the cost of the class for them. You should also be aware that first aid certifications expire as policies and procedures are updated from time to time.
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Babysitter Tip: Post Your Needs Online
The Internet is a versatile tool when hunting for a babysitter job. Babysitters4Hire.com is a wonderful website that specializes in helping you find the right job in your area. Just upload your resume, fill out your profile, add a profile picture, and you are ready to go. Make sure to leave a detailed description of your experience and qualifications, because parents out there who are searching for a babysitter will want detailed information.
Remember to include a contact phone number, and to mention in which neighborhoods or areas you can service. If you have a driver's license, make sure to state this fact so that parents looking for a mobile babysitter will know you are available. If you are a minor babysitter looking for work, make your parents aware that you are posting this information online so that they can advise you of what information they are and are not comfortable with you including.
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Baby Shower Game: Get Me a Babysitter
Expecting your first child can bring about so many questions and issues that you have never faced before. You have probably never needed to find a babysitter much less thought about the responsibility that sitter will hold in their arms when they watch your baby for the first time. This is where good friends and an opportune situation come in handy.
At many baby showers, attendees play the "Advice Game." In this game, participants write down a piece of advice on a small piece of paper anonymously and place it in a basket. When all have contributed their piece of advice, the mother-to-be has the chance to read them to share with all. Instead of asking for general advice which you may have already read up on, you can ask for babysitter recommendations or advice. In a room of about twenty friends and family members, twenty pieces of babysitter-hunting advice or contact information should give you a spectacular start in your search. Also, since your baby will not be arriving just yet either, you will have time to calmly and thoroughly investigate and interview the recommended candidates.
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Is It OK to Hire a 'Manny'?
'"Manny," the term popularized by Britney Spears, simply means "male nanny." Some parents, both mothers and fathers, have a mostly unexplained discomfort associated with having an unrelated male caring for their children.
There really are fewer men than women who seek out babysitting jobs. The same can be said for men who seek out positions in education, with the exception of administrative positions. However, this is not due to lack of capacity for caring for children and being an excellent caregiver, nor due to concealing bad intentions toward your child. Many men simply choose other routes in life.
The ones who truly do appreciate children sometimes find themselves discriminated against because of their gender. Do not let this socially-driven uncorroborated fear keep you from considering a male babysitter or nanny. If you happen to meet a candidate that you find trustworthy, knowledgeable, responsible, and is great with your children, make sure he is given a fair chance. With the rising number of households in which the mother is the sole caregiver, your children may enjoy having a positive male figure in their lives.
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Flyers Galore
One of the easiest forms of advertising one's business is through the usage of flyers. If you do not have a lot of computer skills, it is still simple to make flyers. First, get a small picture of yourself and choose where it should go in the design layout of your flyer. Make a short bullet list of what you offer as a babysitter. For example, if you will tutor the kids while babysitting and help them with their homework, this would be a great help to parents and should be included toward the top of your list.
Also, mention in your list if you cook or have experience caring for kids with special needs. Do not omit your educational background. It would not be the best idea to list the names of references on a flyer because you have no way of knowing where this information will end up. You may ruin your chances for a good recommendation by giving out families' personal information without permission. Consider leaving only your email address and phone number, not your address or other personal information. Anything else anyone needs to know you can provide upon request. Leave your flyers at community locations such as church, bookstores and your school.
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Create a Portfolio
A babysitter arriving at an interview with a family prepared with a portfolio of his or her experience might seem a bit out of the ordinary, but that would be exactly the point! You stand out far beyond other candidates when you bring a portfolio including a resume that lists your accomplishments, references and contact numbers. The rest of the portfolio would be best illustrated by photos of the you with families you have served in the past.
Keep in mind that due to privacy issues, you should ask permission to take and keep photographs of other people's children, especially if you plan on showing them in your portfolio. Most parents will not mind as long as you are on good terms with them; however, it can be a sensitive subject for others. Keep a signature or a disclosure statement of the parent's permission just in case. The photographs you use in the portfolio should clearly show you interacting with the children in a positive way. Do not illustrate your discipline tactics. Your photos should show that you can keep the kids entertained in a positive way so that discipline is hardly an issue. Do crafts or play at the park with the kids. Show an organized mealtime or children doing their chores. Basically include anything that you would want to see a babysitter do if you were the parents.
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Licensed to Drive
If you are considering hiring a younger babysitter to watch after your little one, you may want to consider the benefits and pitfalls of hiring a teenager with a driver's license. On one hand, you would benefit from having a person in your home who is able to drive in case of an emergency. However, if this same teenager has a license you may spend your night out worrying about whether or not they are taking your child to another place, even a place as innocent as the city park, without your permission.
Ask for a copy of the babysitter's license before hiring her. This provides you with a detailed description and record of the person in charge of your child in case anything were to happen. You should discuss with her ahead of time which places, if any, you will allow your child to go visit during your absence. You should set clear, approved hours for this mini-trip. You will also need to talk with the babysitter about carseat needs and safety concerns about riding in a car with another driver. It would be a good idea to have the sitter call you before taking your child anywhere just in case you come home early to find an empty house. Avoid the panic and drama by setting clear guidelines from the beginning and you may find that giving your babysitter and child room to breathe while you are gone will be appreciated and enjoyed.
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How to Find Babysitting Jobs by Volunteering
Are you having a hard time finding babysitting jobs? If so, provide volunteer babysitting services for church events, charity fundraisers, or community meetings. As parents pick up their children, give them your business card.
If you are confident and friendly when you hand them your card, you will get a better response. Before you go to the event, be prepared to answer questions such as your rates, what times you are available to work and what age range you work with.
Have a sign-in sheet for parents' names, cell phone numbers, and their child/children's names. During the event this will help you keep track of parents and children, and give you a phone number in case of emergency. After the event, you can use it as a business tool.
Within 24-48 hours after the event, call each family on the list. Introduce yourself as the babysitter from the event, and ask if they need child care. Make sure to use their child/children's names to seem more personal. If they say no, be very polite, and mention if they are ever in a tight spot to give you a call.
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