Babysitting: A job for you?

Your babysitting duties

When babysitting, your main job is to look after the children while their parents are away. How this task looks in detail is always a matter of negotiation and depends on how old the children to be looked after are, how long you have to babysit and what time of the day you are needed. Possible tasks are:

• Preparing lunch or dinner
• Feed and change the baby
• Taking children to events such as sports or music classes
• Putting kids to bed at night and maybe reading them a bedtime story

All activities that go beyond the usual child care, such as vacuuming or cleaning, should amount to a minimum when babysitting. Because additional tasks could distract your attention. In principle, parents should not assume that you will take on household chores. It goes without saying, however, that you clean the kitchen again after eating with the children. The parents can also ask if you clean up the children’s room together with their offspring after playing.

When can you babysit?

If you want to supplement your pocket money by babysitting, you should observe the following legal regulations for working hours:

• 13 to 15 years: Babysitting is only allowed for two hours a day for this age group by law. In addition, a 14-year-old babysitter may only be employed between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
• 16+: A 16-year-old babysitter may work until 10 p.m.

Babysitting courses: Become a babysitter with a diploma

In order to be able to work as a babysitter, it is important that, in addition to a sense of responsibility and reliability, you have basic knowledge of baby care and educational childcare. Special babysitting courses are therefore offered in cooperation with the German Child Protection Association, charitable organizations such as the German Red Cross or church institutions. If you want to babysit, you can acquire all the necessary knowledge there that is important for the care of infants and small children. After successfully completing the course, you will receive a so-called “babysitter diploma”. Since most babysitters are still in school, these courses usually take place at the weekend. You should be at least 14 years old to participate.

• Baby care and feeding: Changing, holding, carrying and feeding babies is practiced during the training. The training is designed so that you can take care of babies and toddlers in the future babysitting.
• Pedagogy: In the course you will also learn the basics of developmental psychology and pedagogy in dealing with age-specific behavior and the special features of school children and young people. You will receive tips on how to provide age-appropriate activity and support with babysitting, how to structure the daily routine or help with homework.
• Medical basics: In order to react and act correctly when babysitting, the course instructors will inform you about the various childhood diseases.
• First Aid: When babysitting, you need to keep a clear head, even in emergency situations. For this purpose you will learn first aid measures on the one hand and when it is necessary to request professional help on the other.
• Rights and obligations: In order for you to comply with the legal regulations when babysitting, you will be informed about the legal basis and agreements, the duty of supervision, the hourly wage of a babysitter and the legal working time regulations.
• Communication: In the course you will also learn the basics of how to communicate with parents and children.
• Psychology: Methods of how to behave when babysitting in stressful situations are also taught.

You can find more detailed information on babysitter training and courses on the German Red Cross website, for example .

Babysitting: You should clarify that

Before babysitting, you should clarify the following points with the parents:

• Where are the parents and how can they be reached? You should get the number. If the parents cannot be reached, who can you contact? Maybe to neighbors, friends or other family members?
• Does the child need certain medications? Where are they kept? How and when should they be taken?
• Does the child have allergies? If so, which ones and what do you have to pay special attention to?
• When does it get its bottle or is it fed? When and how is it wrapped? What should the child eat? Did the parents prepare something?
• How and when should you put the child to bed? Are there certain bedtime rituals? Is the child easy to put to bed? What tricks can parents recommend?
• What should you do while babysitting if the child wakes up? Can it then watch TV, for example? And if so, what and for how long?
• What should you do when the phone rings? Do you have to answer the phone and leave a message for the parents?
• What parenting style do the parents follow? Clarify what the children are allowed and not allowed to do.