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3 On Your Side: More Boys Getting Into The Babysitting Business

By Jim Donovan

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Going out this weekend and need to find a sitter to watch the kids?  Well these days more and more boys are getting into the baby-sitting business.  3 On your Side consumer reporter Jim Donovan finds they're signing up for kid duty after realizing they can earn big bucks.

Baby-sitting isn't just fun and games for high school student Sam Latzsch.  It's a paycheck.

"All my friends think it's kind of interesting because they're not, like, very friendly with children, but they think it's cool that I am," said Latzsch.

But Sam is on to a growing trend, young men are beginning to see the benefits of baby-sitting, compared to more traditional jobs for a teen boy.

"One of them is the fact that, you know what, it pays pretty good. Two is it's a lot easier than the manual labor.  Three, it's more flexible in terms of what they can do in terms of the hours and how do it. And you know what, four, it's probably a little bit more enjoyable," said Cary Siegel, author of Why Didn't They Teach Me This In School?

The pay varies based on where you live, your experience and safety training.

"We've seen baby-sitters charge anywhere from 10 to 20 dollars an hour, depending on the amount of children they're sitting for, so that's a great income when you think how it might compare to a fast food job or mowing lawns or things like that," said Grant Hansen with American Red Cross.

And sometimes, male sitters are preferred by parents.  That's how Sam ended up watching Diana Cole's children.

"Ethan needs sometimes a lot of one-on-one time. As well as, it shows the girls that it's good- you know it's not just a female role, it's also a male role," said Cole.

A role that Sam suggests other guys seriously consider.

"I would absolutely recommend baby-sitting because it's really fun.  It's really rewarding," said Latzsch.

The Red Cross, offers both online and classroom baby-sitting training and says a good sitter is a good leader.  In addition to having safety training, be sure to any sitter you hire is able to provide some references.

 

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