Julianne Asselin, 13, likes to have fun with children. “I always get along well with them,” says the second secondary student.
“Creating connections with people, even if they’re not our age, that’s fun,” continues the teenager who lives on the South Shore of Montreal.
It’s the beautiful relationship she has with her little sister that made her want to start looking after children in the evenings and weekends.
A similar source of motivation motivates Julie-Anne St-Georges, 11 years old. “I love children. I have a 6 year old little brother and a baby cousin. When I see it, I really like it. I wanted to be able to have fun with other children,” says the young girl, who started looking after a few months ago.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY MARIE-MAI VALOIS ADAMOWICZ
Julie-Anne St-Georges and her cousin
During spring break, both hope to be of service to families while earning a little pocket money.
Research and references
They are not the only ones. As the school break approaches, advertisements from teenagers offering to babysit during this period are increasing on Facebook groups dedicated to childcare.
The best way to find someone to look after your children, however, remains word of mouth, says Marie-Ève Bousquet, president and founder of MEB Formations, which, as a partner of the Red Cross, gives the Advanced Guardians course, intended for ages 11 and over.
The best way is really to work with references in the neighborhood. It’s often easier. When the young person lives close to home, there is no need to pick them up beforehand and drive them back afterwards. Usually, we will know his parents too. This makes it easier to check your references.
Marie-Ève Bousquet, president and founder of MEB Formations
Because, once we have found a babysitter – it is still mostly teenagers who do this work, confirms Marie-Ève Bousquet – we should call other families who have used her services to find out if they have been satisfied.
Organizing a meeting between the adolescent, the children and the parents a few days before the first day of custody is also a recommended practice. This allows everyone to get to know each other, emphasizes Marie-Ève Bousquet.
“The first time, it’s not a good idea to keep it for several hours. The ideal is to start gradually […] and not to be very far away to make sure that everything is going well and that our children like the personality of the babysitter,” recommends the president and founder of MEB Formations.
An important course
Even though it is not mandatory to take the Smart Guardians course to look after children, more than three in four parents find it important that the person they hire has taken the training, a 2020 survey revealed by the Carrefour jeunesse-emploi de Portneuf.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Julianne Asselin has completed the Guardians Savvy training.
It takes away a little worry for parents when they know you have your class.
Julianne Asselin, 13 years old
Thanks to this training focused largely on first aid, she now knows what to do if a baby chokes or if a child hits their head, she gives as an example. “It helps you keep your cool,” summarizes the teenager.
Salary question
Who says work also says salary. In 2024, how much does a babysitter earn? “It’s difficult to answer because it depends on lots of factors,” argues Marie-Ève Bousquet.
The financial situation of the parents, the number of children, their temperament, the tasks required, the care to be provided and the experience of the sitter are all elements that can influence the hourly rate.
The latter is, however, generally below the minimum wage, which is $15.25 in Quebec. The guards interviewed by The Press mentioned receiving $8 to $12 per hour.
Since the salary varies from one region to another, Marie-Ève Bousquet advises asking parents in the neighborhood to get the facts. However, she estimates that most of the time it is around $10 an hour.
Alone at home
In addition to Guardians in the Know, the Red Cross created the Ready to Stay Alone course a little less than 10 years ago. The latter is increasingly popular, notes Marie-Ève Bousquet.
Intended for children aged 9 to 13, it presents basic first aid and good practices to adopt in unforeseen situations, such as visits from strangers.
Although the Canada Safety Council does not recommend leaving a child under the age of 10 alone, in Quebec, there is no law on the age requirement. “It’s always according to the parent’s assessment and the child’s maturity,” says Marie-Ève Bousquet. However, she believes that the course can help young people feel more confident if they are asked to spend a short time alone.
Visit the Red Cross website