Halley Bondy - Dont Sit On the Baby!. The Ultimate Guide to Sane, Skilled, and Safe Babysitting

Don't Sit on the Baby

The Ultimate Guide to Sane, Skilled, and Safe Babysitting

by Halley Bondy

2012 Halley Bondy

Illustrations Emily Glaubinger

First published in 2012 by Zest Books

35 Stillman Street, Suite 121, San Francisco, CA 94107

www.zestbooks.net

Created and produced by Zest Books, San Francisco, CA

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any form or by any meansgraphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or information storage and retrieval systemswithout the written permission of the publisher.

Teen Nonfiction / Careers / Babysitting

Library of Congress Control Number: 2011942757

ISBN: 978-0-9827322-3-6

Cover Design: Tanya Napier

Book Design: Tanya Napier & Marissa Feind, Feind Design

Editor: Rebecca Frazer

Typeset in Sabon and Gill Sans

Manufactured in China

LEO 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

45XXXXXXXXX

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information presented is accurate. The publisher disclaims any liability for injuries, losses, untoward results, or any other damages that may result from the use of the information in this book.

INTRODUCTION

So you're thinking about babysitting. You love kids, you need the cash, and you've got a little free time. Luckily there are tons of opportunities for a fun, entrepreneurial teen like you. Even beginners can enter the babysitting force with plenty of time to spare for school and socializing. It's a great way to build your rsum and earn money for the awesome stuff your parents won't buyand you get to play hide-and-seek while you're at it!

But all perks aside, babysitting is no cakewalk. After all, if kids weren't a lot of work, sitters wouldn't exist. Children need to be fed, clothed, put to bed, consoled, changed, and most of all, they need to feel safe in your care. As an added challenge, kids can be unpredictable, rowdy, and defiant. (Remember all those tantrums you threw as a child? Prepare for swift retribution!) Depending on the kids ages, the number of children, and their personalities, the pressure can get pretty intense. Not to mention, when it's all over, you have to wear a smile for the parentseven if you spent an hour scraping macaroni from the ceiling!

With all these demands in your midst, it's important to remember that no sitter is perfect. All parents and sitters make mistakes sometimes (in fact, they'll be the first to tell you that Mary Poppins doesn't exist!). But if you picked up this book, it means that you're ready to accept the challenge, learn from your mistakes, and accept new, crucial tips.

In the following pages, you'll learn how to deal with the most difficult babysitting experiences. You'll take a quiz to determine what type of babysitting job suits your needs. You'll learn the ins and outs of a sitter's responsibilities, from diapers to dinner to bedtime. You'll also learn some babysitting essentials, like how to react in emergency situations, how to play like a kid again, and how to keep a screaming child from driving you nuts. You'll even read some fun firsthand babysitting stories from teens like you!

On the business side, you'll learn how to deal with your rate, how to maneuver the job market, and how to gauge your strengths and weaknesses so you don't feel in over your head. You'll even learn how to take your babysitting expertise to new professional heights.

Most of all, you'll learn how to have fun on the job. After all, you chose this noble profession because kids are the most entertaining, rewarding, and adorable creatures to be around. These little ones need you, and the more prepared you are, the better the job will be for both of you!

Now get out there and sit (But never, ever on the baby)!

Babysitting is a misleading job title. According to our friends at Webster, babysitting has nothing to do with sitting on babies. A babysitter is a person hired to care for children when parents are not home. Babysitting is one of the most popular gigs for teens arounddespite all the responsibility, frustration, and booger cleaning! Even better, babysitting doesn't require filling out a lengthy application or a formal interview process. And you can find potential clients in your family, through friends, and in your neighborhood. If you have younger siblings or cousins, you already have experience! And, possibly the best part of entering the world of babysitting? It's one of those jobs that never go away: As long as there are busy parents in the world, babysitters will have a job caring for their kids.

Sitting (as the pros call it) has been around for ages and is a far better job than it used to be. Years ago, in the Victorian Age, nannies were typically poor women filling in as parents for rich families. They often started working when they were incredibly young, were treated like servants at best, and spent more time with the kids than the parents did. But times have changed. These days, parents respect sitters for all their hard work and trust their little loved one's well-being in the care of a sitter.

But while babysitting has evolved over the years, the main goal remains the same: to make sure the child stays happy, healthy, and safe in your care. This means making sure the child doesn't watch violent TV shows or gorge on candy, and is returned to the parents in one piece at the end of the day or evening. Babysitting has often been brushed off as an easy job, but it's not easy, and it's certainly not trivial. Remember, someone's safety is in your hands.

You may have heard that babysitting is easy and that anyone can do it, but that's a mythbabysitting is hard work. Kids fall down. Kitchens catch fire. Parents come home three hours later than they said they would. And sometimes, no matter how much you do to keep the kids happy and entertained, they just won't stop freaking out. How can you make it stop without tearing out your last hair?

Nobody is born with complete childcare know-how. To babysit, you need skills. Not just basic childcare skills, either. You need patience, intelligence, and a great sense of humor. After all, it takes some quick wit to convince Tommy that the toilet isn't trying to eat him. You have a little life in your hands (no matter how stubborn he may be), so everything counts, from your in-control attitude to your negotiating skills, all the way down to your friendly smile.

Why babysit instead of, say, stock groceries? For one, as a babysitter, you'll have more control over your salary and schedule than other jobs available to you (see Business Basics). You'll also have access to television, books, and comfy furniture. But the rewards go beyond the simple perks. Babysitting can be deeply gratifying. It's a highly creative job. You have to think on your feet and constantly come up with new ways to keep a kid safe and entertained. Plus, not too many jobs offer the rush of seeing a toddler walk for the first time or helping a 3rd grader ace a test she was really nervous about. Those are priceless moments, and you won't get those kinds of perks in the produce aisle. Kids often remember their babysitters forever, so think about the impact a babysitter can make on future generations. It's hardly something to scoff at!