Why Babysitting Is One of the Best Side Jobs for Teachers

Are you an educator looking to earn more money in your downtime? This guide outlines why babysitting is one of the best side jobs for teachers.

Babysitting is hard work. It requires patience to deal with temper tantrums, creativity to keep children engaged, and the ability to interact with kids effectively. These are skills teachers already possess—and why babysitting is one of the best side jobs for teachers.

Teachers—particularly early childhood educators, primary school teachers, and secondary education teachers—already have demanding job responsibilities. This makes it difficult for them to take on second jobs. However, babysitting offers a flexible option that lets them earn extra income without compromising their career as an educator.

Let’s explore some advantages of pursuing babysitting side jobs for teachers.

Side Jobs for Teachers Come with Flexible Hours

With hustle culture in full swing, many employees value flexible hours to make ends meet. Babysitting is perhaps one of the few jobs on the market that gives you the freedom to choose your hours, making it an excellent option for teachers looking for a side job.

Babysitters can easily choose between employers and only take jobs that fit their schedules. They can reject or approve appointments, negotiate in-home service schedules as needed, and take last-minute jobs when convenient.

If they want, they can choose to only take babysitting appointments during school breaks or on weekends. This way, they can still concentrate on preparing teaching materials and participate in after-school activities.

Babysitting as an Additional Source of Income

Taking on babysitting jobs is a great way to make good money. The latest data on babysitter wages show the average hourly pay in the United States is $17.30. This isn’t too far behind the hourly salary of public school teachers, which ranges between $22 and $33.

Babysitting rates may also vary depending on the credentials of the babysitter. For instance, more experienced sitters with certifications sometimes charge as much as $42.79 per hour. So, given the skill set of teachers and their background in childhood development, they could probably demand more for their services.

Experience and credentials aside, babysitters may adjust their rates according to the number of children they care for and any additional responsibilities expected. For instance, teachers could also offer tutoring services for school-age kids.

Self Improvement and Community Engagement

Babysitting may be one of the easiest side jobs for teachers, but the responsibilities that come with it are not for the faint of heart. Sitters use a combination of soft skills and technical knowledge. So, teachers are sure to pick up a few skills that could be useful for their jobs as educators.

To start, babysitters must have patience, compassion, empathy, and the physical stamina to keep up with the kids they care for. They must also have excellent decision-making and organizational skills, as they will be in charge of the household when the parents aren’t around.

Sitters also need technical know-how to perform their duties. These include protocols for infant feeding, diapering procedures, and emergency response. Many sitters take it further by getting childcare certifications and undergoing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and first aid training.

Aside from self-improvement through skill building, babysitting also enables teachers to be more grounded in their community. After all, babysitters are expected to cultivate healthy relationships with the kids and their parents. As such, teachers can gain a more concrete understanding of family dynamics in their community, which can help them as educators.

Self-Help Tip: Babysitting as a way to engage with the community can contribute to culturally responsive-sustaining education. Learn more about the specific strategies you can take when it comes to engaging with families and the community.

Babysitting Is a Wonderful Resume Enhancer

As mentioned earlier, babysitting is one of the best side jobs for teachers because it lets them hone various skills related to child care. However, it can also be instrumental in developing interpersonal skills a teacher can use to pad their resume and further their employment opportunities as an educator. These may include:

• Contingency Planning. Babysitters often find themselves making checklists of things a kid may need. This hones one’s capacity for foresight, which trains teachers to be prepared to handle nearly anything.
• Conflict Resolution. From discussing pay rates and babysitting appointments to convincing a child it’s time for bed, babysitters handle conflict all the time. This can help hone negotiation skills for educators.
• Nonverbal Communication. Kids aren’t the best at expressing themselves. As such, babysitters must often analyze their physical behavior, mannerisms, and expressions to understand them. This skill enables teachers to learn different positive and negative cues among children, which could help them interact more effectively with their students.
• Behavior Management. Babysitters must enforce discipline when kids get rowdy. As such, they’re often creative in helping children develop self-control. For teachers, this can be a game-changer for controlling things in the classroom.

Link Building With Families for Summer Nannies/Tutoring

Networking is vital in any industry, and side jobs for teachers are no exception. There are opportunities to be had in every babysitting appointment you take. As such, it’s important to maintain close communication with your employers.

Building rapport with the families you babysit for can give you future employment options. For instance, they may ask you to babysit for them regularly or hire you to tutor their kid over the summer. Alternatively, if they’re expecting another child, they may want you to serve as their nanny.

Gaining the trust of families is also great for expanding your professional network. It’s difficult to find quality child care, so many parents rely on their network rather than putting their trust in strangers. As such, referrals from satisfied clients are crucial to booking more babysitting appointments.

Explore Babysitting as Side Job

Teaching is perhaps one of the most rewarding professions out there. However, shaping young minds isn’t a high-paying job—teachers earn 23.5% less than workers in comparable professions. With this in mind, side jobs for teachers become almost necessary.

Teachers interact with children day in and day out, so babysitting can be an easy side hustle. They gain extra income, hone new childcare skills, and build their professional network. Babysitting can also be instrumental in expanding work opportunities, which is great for advancing one’s career. If you’re wondering how to start babysitting as a side job, consider partnering with Call Emmy.

Call Emmy is a platform that connects individuals with on-demand household service providers. We offer flexible hours, quick pay, and cancellation protection so you can earn more while maintaining a work-life balance. Want to work with us? Sign up today.