baby-sitter
A babysitter ( Engl . "Children Guardian") is a person who, in particular, babies and young children , but also older children care that are not their own children.
etymology
The term babysitter is first recorded for the year 1937. The associated verb to babysit (dt. Babysit), on the other hand, has only been used since 1947 - an example of the regression of a word. While baby describes an infant or toddler, the verb sit has been used in connection with childcare since the early 19th century. According to another theory, sitting is derived from the hen sitting on its nest, which thereby takes care of its chicks.
activity
Babysitters look after the children by the hour while the parents are away, mostly in the evenings and at night, but sometimes also during the day. Often it is pupils and students who do this job in order to earn some money, but increasingly also seniors. The babysitters often come from the family, close relatives or friends. The length of the working hours , the duration of the employment and the wages are usually agreed orally. A written employment contract is usually not concluded. Babysitter is not a job title. There are agencies in cities that arrange babysitters for a fee.
All-day care of infants and toddlers in the parents' household is usually carried out by so-called nannies . If the children are cared for in the caregiver's household during the day, the usual term is childminder . Pedagogical training and a nursing permit are generally required for both activities.
Babysitter diploma
The "babysitting diploma" is a certificate of participation in a babysitting course. It can be purchased from the local family education center (FBS) or from the German Red Cross (DRK). This enables parents to better assess the babysitter's skills. The training usually consists of an eight-hour first aid course with a focus on toddlers / infants. In addition, information about nutrition, behavior, diaper changing and occupation of children as well as the legal basis is provided.
Babysitting agency
A babysitting agency takes over the placement of qualified babysitters. The main advantages for parents are time savings. The agency is looking for a suitable babysitter for the family. The babysitter has a pedagogical training and is therefore tax deductible. If the babysitter is absent, the agency will arrange a suitable replacement. Most agencies also have liability insurance for the babysitter.
Today there are also social platforms on the Internet where parents and babysitters can meet online. This has a positive effect on both, as there are no agency fees for the parents and babysitters can thus create word of mouth via social networks such as Facebook .
Legal situation
Even if babysitting is often seen as a favor and not as work, the Youth Labor Protection Act applies . According to this, 13- and 14-year-olds are still children and are only allowed to work between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. and not more than two hours. Young people between 3 and 6 pm are allowed to babysit until 8 pm. In addition, it should be noted that the activity must not negatively affect school attendance in any way, in particular that means: Children and young people are not allowed to work before or during lessons.
See also
literature
- Almuth Bartl (Author), Giulia Orecchia: Das Babysitter Handbuch . Everything a babysitter should know Moses, Kempten 2000. ISBN 3-8977-7017-2 .
- Mechthild Günster: Babysitting - your first job . Ellermann, Hamburg 2000. ISBN 3-7707-3118-2 .
- Kathrin Kleinjung: Babysitters manual . An indispensable guide for every babysitter, In: Bastei-Lübbe-Taschenbuch Volume 66098. Lübbe, Bergisch Gladbach 1985. ISBN 3-404-66098-6 (license from Steinheim-Verlag, Munich).
Web links
- Subject siblings - kindergesundheit-info.de: independent information offer of the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA)
Individual evidence
- ^ The American Heritage College Dictionary, Boston 1969, Houghton Mifflin, p. 103
- ↑ Granting and withdrawal of the care permit
- ↑ Babysitter Platform , article from Die Welt.
- ↑ Legal framework for babysitting
- ↑ Youth Labor Protection Act, Section 5, Paragraph 3