10 Reasons Why Child Care is One of the Best Flexible Jobs You Can Do

Are you looking for flexible jobs? This guide outlines how the childcare industry offers lucrative side gig options, regardless of your expertise.

The gig economy is in full swing! Best of all, gig workers, retired professionals, and energetic youth can take advantage of the momentum while maintaining a good work-life balance. At the top of the list of flexible jobs is babysitting.

Starting in the child-care industry doesn’t require a degree or extensive training, either—and with parents returning to the workplace in droves, there’s no shortage of job availability. Don’t take our word for it, though. Here are 10 reasons why becoming a babysitter is one of the best flexible jobs out there.

1. Flexible Working Hours

One of the many joys of being a babysitter is the scheduling flexibility that comes with it. Like other freelance jobs, babysitting allows you to accept bookings that work with your schedule. This leaves you plenty of time to pursue other endeavors, whether it be your studies, a small business, a passion project, or another job.

2. Good Additional Source of Income

Parents are willing to pay top dollar to ensure the best possible care for their little ones. The average babysitter earns $15 an hour (double the federal minimum wage!), after all. Better yet, you get paid directly, so you never have to wait to put that money to use. Meanwhile, you’re always free to negotiate your pay scale as you gain more experience and higher-ranking qualifications.

The truth of the matter is that you absolutely can find babysitter jobs that pay enough to supplement your living costs—if you know where to look. Call Emmy, for example, is a great platform ready to connect you with parents looking for sitters.

3. Help Build Your Professional Network

Believe it or not, caring for kids can be a great avenue to expand your professional network. Every family you service is an opportunity to dip your toe into respective fields. Whether you intend to become a professional sitter or pursue other interests down the line, you just might be able to tap into the network you’ve built to help you get there.

4. Potential for Long Term Relationships

As a babysitter, you need to build trust with the families you’re working for. Keeping an open line of communication, coming prepared, listening to feedback, and providing exceptional, personalized care for each child will reward you in many ways. Your employers may make you their go-to sitter for holidays and summer breaks or even recommend you to family and friends in the market for a sitter.

5. A Good Potential for Tips

Sitters committed to doing a great job stand to enjoy perks beyond their agreed-upon compensation. Satisfied parents are simply more likely to tip! In addition, sitters who work on a fairly regular basis have a higher chance of receiving bonuses.

6. Caring for Kids Keeps You Active

Children are filled with energy. They need to be exposed to different activities to help them develop different motor and cognitive skills. So, you’ll likely find yourself playing outdoors, riding bikes, playing ball games, swimming in public pools, going to the beach, or participating in indoor sports. Suffice it to say babysitting will help keep you active.

7. Helps You Improve Self Development Skills

Taking care of kids requires both soft and hard skills, which enables sitters to naturally hone their skills as they work. Interacting with children necessitates not only patience, empathy, problem-solving, and strong communication skills but also time, safety, and behavioral management all in one go. Babysitting enables you to bolster them as you go about your day.

8. Helps You Stay Young (At Heart)

The hustle and bustle of daily life, matched by the many responsibilities of being an adult, can chip away at your sense of wonder. Regularly engaging with kids works to combat this and keeps you young where it counts—inside. By running around and playing games, you can exercise your body and imagination to tap into your inner child. You might also find yourself enjoying new movies and music that children are into these days. This, in turn, may help you bring back memories of your childhood, which you can use to better relate with the kids you’re caring for.

Self-Help Tip: You can also take a few notes from professionals to learn more about how you can bring out your inner child and live life to the fullest.

9. Make a Difference in People’s Lives

They say it takes a village to raise a child, and rightly so. The people around them shape children, and babysitters are no exception. This makes the profession among the most fulfilling one can pursue.

As a sitter, you’re tasked with providing kids with a safe space to be independent of their parents. Every interaction impacts the child you’re caring for, short and long-term. Not to mention, alleviating the stresses of being a parent, even for just a few hours, goes a long way for moms and dads.

10. Appreciate Simple Life Pleasures With Children

Parents and sitters take it upon themselves to teach kids the ropes of life and how to become contributing members of society. However, what many often overlook is that grown-ups can learn a lot from kids, too.

As a sitter, you will journey with them through their childhood. With every new emotion or situation they encounter, you, as their sitter, stand to learn more about expressing yourself, taking risks, living in the moment, having a sense of wonder, and appreciating the smaller things in life—the way they do.

Find Flexible Jobs in Child Care

Whether you’re a gig worker looking to pick up new skills in your free time or a college student looking for some extra cash, you will surely find rewarding, flexible jobs as a babysitter. The job offers ample opportunities to hone your skills and gain professional, resume-worthy experience. And if nothing else, it’s a heck of a lot of fun.

If you’re unsure where to start, try out reliable platforms like Call Emmy to book your first appointment. Call Emmy is a digital marketplace that bridges the gap between busy parents and household service providers to help them get the on-demand services they need—from home organization to infant care. Ready to dive into the world of child care? Reach out to us today!