When Can I Babysit?

When Can I Babysit?

By age 13, some kids may be ready to babysit. It all depends on how responsible you can be taking care of young kids. If you have younger siblings, you may already have some experience taking care of babies, toddlers, or young children. That's a great start!

What If I Want to Babysit, But Don’t Feel Ready?

Before babysitting, it’s a great idea to take a babysitting course. You can try to find a good one in your area, like at the local community center, hospital, or Red Cross. You can also do a babysitting course online. Some courses will give you a certificate proving that you passed it and meet certain standards. It’s helpful to learn first aid (what to do right away when someone gets injured or sick) and CPR, too, in case of an emergency.

You could also start out as a "mother's helper," meaning you take care of children while their parents are around. That way, you’ll get an idea of what it will be like to babysit, but you can ask the parents questions as they come up.

What Else Do I Need to Know?

It’s a good idea to think about what ages you want to babysit. Maybe you’d feel comfortable watching a 5-year-old but don’t know how to feed babies or change diapers. You’ll be able to choose which ages you want to work with.

If you decide to babysit, keep your first job short (an hour or two). It's also best if you can babysit for a family that lives nearby, so your parents can help out in case you have any problems. Make sure you have emergency contact numbers ready, and know where things like adhesive bandages (Band-Aids) and ice packs are in case you need them.