How To Start Your Own Babysitting Services While in College

It is common for most college students to explore unique employment opportunities to be able to earn some extra money while getting through college. One of these potential part-time jobs would be babysitting. Unknown to many, babysitting can be a regular and lucrative side gig that you can do while in college.

On average, a babysitter can earn anywhere from $10 an hour to $40 an hour. A steady three-hour babysitting gig on the weekends can already cover for your lunch money expenses or to save up for a dress you like. Babysitting can be a regular gig, if you have the skills and if you manage to earn the trust of your clients. Here are some useful tips on how to start your babysitting business while in college.

Opening childcare services, even as a student, can help you earn money, get connections, and prepare you for adult life. You only need a few basic child care skills to begin with your business.

Volunteer to Care for Children You Know

If you are just starting out with babysitting services, it pays to get on-hand experience. Offer your free or discounted babysitting services to your relatives or family friends to get familiar with how babysitting works. Kids are different and may require different types of child care approach from you. You can only experience this if you expose yourself to different types of kids.

You can babysit for your cousins, to begin with. There is already familiarity, and your aunts and uncles will most likely be very straightforward on whether they can trust you with their children or not. If they see you as someone responsible to handle a kid, without an adult present, your future clients will most likely give the same level of confidence.

Get Actual Babysitting Experience 

You will need to have experience before you can land on a regular and hopefully a lucrative gig in babysitting. As we’ve said, you can start by babysitting for your aunts, professors, or your mom’s friend. Most parents in need of babysitters will require job references from your past clients. You might have a hard time landing an opportunity without a substantial reference list to offer.

Attend Workshops and Seminars 

Babysitting short courses are also available for you to begin your business. If you already have a steady number of clients and several babysitters who get their job from you, it would be wise to invest in a training course that includes specialized child care skills. These are also essential if you are planning to ask for higher service rates from your clients.

Start Advertising Your Business

If you have already established a reliable resume for babysitting, you can begin advertising your business online. There are several Facebook groups dedicated to child care services. You can also begin a Facebook group of your own to create a network of babysitters in your area. 

It would be wise to have several reliable babysitters on your network to have someone available if your studies require your full attention. A network of babysitters can also help you out in case you have unexpected double babysitting bookings to attend to. However, ensure that the person you refer to your clients is indeed responsible and reliable to keep your client base’s trust and satisfaction.

Get Face-To-Face Interviews with Parents

As much as possible, take time to meet your clients in person before taking any babysitting job. The opportunity gives you an idea of what to expect with the child, the home, and other factors that may affect your efficiency as a sitter.

You can also easily identify warning signs if you talk to clients personally instead of over the phone conversations. Some clients can be quite difficult and too demanding. You can avoid these, if you do face-to-face interviews with your potential clients.

A babysitting service is quite manageable compared to other types of business startups in college. It requires less or no capital at all. As long as you have the skills and experience in babysitting, you are good to go. 

As your business grows, getting help from fellow sitters can help in earning more clients. It can provide a steady source of income that can help you sustain a comfortable lifestyle even while studying. A babysitting business can even continue beyond your college days and be a stable business for you to manage. And if you can, register and legalize your business so that more clients will trust you.