We live in a world where people start hustling from a very young age. It’s common and should be encouraged by parents because it allows teens to become financially strong and independent and make good money decisions in the long run.
Out of all the commonly known teenage-appropriate hustle or after-school jobs, babysitting is an option that has come out on the top of the list. It is safe, teaches independence and responsibility to the kids, and allows them to earn a steady income.
However, long gone are the days when people relied on asking around their next-door neighbors about an open babysitting job. The internet has now streamlined opportunities, making it easier for teenagers to get their hands on good babysitting jobs.
We will highlight all the nitty-gritty you need to know about babysitting and how you can get into this side hustle in real-time with some credible websites.
Table of Contents
Can A 13-Year-Old Get a Babysitting Job?
When you think of a babysitting job for a 13-year-old, being skeptical is common. However, you need to realize that things are changing. Children are becoming more and more independent in the current times, thanks to the power of the internet.
So, yes, a 13-year-old can quickly get a babysitting job, provided that their application is verified by their parents or a guardian to ensure they are safe on their job. Even a CPR and Babysitting or Childcare course from RedCross is accessible to kids over 11. This shows that getting a babysitting job as a 13-year-old is average and nothing that should turn heads around.
How Much Should You Charge for Babysitting?
Despite what you think, babysitting is a competent and lucrative earning sector for teens and adults. There are some cases where you might even make a lot more than the minimum age, provided that you have the salient experience and the certifications to justify the charges you are asking for.
A babysitter can charge between $3 to $15 per hour with optimal skills, a license, or a professional certification. Having a First Aid certification is always a positive influence on your charges.
Remember that your babysitting charges are generally based on the number of kids you are sitting. So, start with a standard base rate for your services. If you have a good few years of experience, you can start with $5-$8 per kid per hour.
With the base rate, you can increase the amount if you have to sit more kids in the same place. So, if you are watching two kids, you can increase the amount to $12-$15 per hour and more as the number of kids increases.
When you are 13 years old and getting started with this side hustle after school, we recommend starting with one or two kids at max. Handling too many kids can be a little overwhelming and overbearing as well.
Another factor that further increases the pay rate of a babysitter is the kind of services involved. You can improve your hourly rate if the baby has unique care needs.
How to Make More Money through Babysitting?
When it comes to babysitting, your employer (the kid’s parents) is likely paying for your service to look after their child. It could be keeping them company, ensuring that they eat on time, and get to their sleep on time.
However, if you want to channel in a few extra bucks along with your standard babysitting money, there are a few ways you can do so. Following are a few options:
- Offer to cook for the kid you are babysitting
- Take them out to play out in the park
- Offer to clean up after the kid (picking up their toys, folding their laundry, etc.)
- Offering to help the kids with essential learning and educational activities, etc.
Besides doing these add-on services, we’d recommend that you willingly do some extra work around the house, especially when starting as a newbie in the market. This will create a good name for you in the market, allowing you to acquire some extra bucks and a good reputation in the neighborhood.
What Exactly Do Babysitters Do?
Many people who are new to the babysitting concept think that the job is an easy one. That’s not the case. A babysitting job involves a lot of activities, some that are included in the base rate and others that are considered “add-on” services.
Following is a list of all the possible services that a babysitter generally provides:
- Taking care of the child’s needs and safety
- Preparing food for the kid and feeding them too
- Helping the children with homework
- Engaging in fun games and activities with the kids
- Taking care of their diapers and changing them when needed
- Laundry and washing up
- Bathing the children and dressing them up
- Taking the kids to their activities like dance classes, parks, etc.
- Preparing and cleaning up the baby bottles
Besides these, there could be additional responsibilities as discussed with the employer. Always charge based on the number of services you offer as a babysitter.
Babysitting Websites for 13-Year-Olds
As we mentioned at the beginning of the article, the advent of the internet has made it easier for people to acquire babysitting jobs without hassle. You no longer have to worry about going from door to door in the neighborhood asking for jobs.
The websites we will mention offer part-time, after-school, and weekend babysitting. Just ensure that you read the listing thoroughly and pick out a job that best fits the area you can get to and a place that your parents would be comfortable letting you work in.
As a 13-year-old, you must practice safety and caution, too, so always discuss the options with your parents before getting started.
Part-Time Baby-Sitting Websites
If you can offer a good part of your day for babysitting, especially during the summer vacations, you can look into the following websites for reference:
1. Care
Care.com is one of the OG websites in the babysitting world. It has been around for years and hosts listing for babysitting jobs and even for senior care and pet sitting if that’s something you are on the hunt for.
It is accessible across the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. However, once you sign up to the website and look into the jobs, the screening and payment collection is on the user. The website doesn’t take any responsibility regarding those clauses.
2. BabySits
Babysits is a website exclusively for babysitting jobs. It is operational in both the United States and the UK so that you can apply for the jobs from your respective place of residence. The website has further expanded and now offers its services in Japan too.
The website is primarily used by working parents who want to ensure that their kids are taken care of. The good thing about the website is that they don’t charge any extra commission for the mediation. So, the employer and the babysitter can negotiate their prices and terms per their requirements.
3. Sitter
Sitter is another popular babysitting job website accessible across the United States and Canada. It is not exclusively for babysitting since pet care, senior care, etc., are available add-on services.
The best part about using this website is the accessibility. They have an open-sourced job board, so you won’t have to create a profile to apply for the jobs.
4. Bambino
If you are looking for a babysitting website that exclusively operates in the United States, Bambino is the one. One of the main reasons behind its growing popularity is the website’s user interface. Everything is organized, and they have a separate filter that allows users to narrow down the jobs based on the area, locality, state, etc.
This makes the search process a lot easier for a 13-year-old. Also, it is a recommendation-based app, so you need an invite from an existing user on the platform to get started. This is to ensure the authenticity and reliability of the people that are using the website.
After-school Babysitting Websites
If you wish to make babysitting a regular job that you can take up after school hours, there are a few websites for that too. These websites offer jobs for a few hours that are perfect for the 13-year-olds who want to earn a few extra bucks after returning from school.
5. Sittercity
Sittercity is another popular and exclusive website operational across the United States. Not just full-time or part-time, the website also offers after-school options that are pretty favorable for the 13-year-olds who want to make babysitting a regular job.
Also, this is a predominant job board, which means that any available job is directly posted so the interested candidates can look into it and apply. But ideally, we’d recommend you run your background checks since the website won’t do that for you.
6. Juggle
Another fantastic website that you can consider for your after-school babysitting job is Juggle. This is operational in the United States and is very popular among the younger generation, including teen students, college graduates, etc.
You do have to create your profile on the website to access the jobs listed on the website, so make sure you are aware of that.
7. Helpr
Helpr is a very high-end and high-paying babysitting job website. You do need references and some experience to qualify your profile on their website. An additional CPR certification is mandatory if you want to start on this platform.
Also, Helpr offers competitive pay compared to many of the accessory babysitting websites. There are sick leave policies and cancellation protection too.
8. BabySittersNow
Another popular babysitting website for afterschool jobs is BabySittersNow. It is a very prominent and reliable website, but newbie applicants have to pay a registration fee of $25 to get started on the website.
Also, the website is free for the parents who want their share listings, which means that the job board always has a steady inflow of jobs that the sitters can take up.
Weekend Babysitting Jobs
As a 13-year-old, you might have a zeal to earn some extra bucks but also have time for your work, including studies, fun, etc. In that case, you might want to look into the weekend babysitting job options.
There are quite a few available on the websites below:
9. SOS Sitter
As a 13-year-old, you need to practice safety and caution when taking up babysitting jobs online, and SOS Sitter takes care of just that. Their platform runs background checks on the job listers and babysitters to ensure everyone is safe.
Also, if you want to draw your payment, you must undergo a background check and verification. It’s part of their protocol. The website does charge an extra 12% for each job you get, which can be a downside for some people.
10. Seeking Sitters
Seeking Sitters was developed to help working parents get secure and reliable childcare. The website also has a pet and home sitting job listing columns that individuals can explore. However, if you are looking for a weekend babysitting gig as a 13-year-old.
There is an application process for the babysitters, so there will be thorough background checks and verification before you are hired for the job. Some restrictions like no phone usage and wearing uniforms can be a little restrictive.
11. Urban Sitter
Last on the list is Urban Sitter, which is another popular babysitting website functional in the United States. The best thing about this website is the flexibility. Babysitters can fix their hourly rate and keep 100% of their earnings, which is quite impressive.
Also, there is a verification process involved for the babysitter, so you should clear that to qualify for the job.
Conclusion
Starting a job as a babysitter at the age of 13 isn’t a farfetched thought. Teenagers today are constantly on a hustle to earn money and progressing towards becoming financially independent. So, if you are on the same ride, refer to these websites to find yourself a high-paying and secure babysitting job today.
About Carson Derrow
