“Babysitting isn’t a real job.” “Why do you have to get paid that much? All you do is sit and watch the kids.”
Those are a few of the many comments that us, babysitters, can get. People dont appreciate the job we take on. Especially when the job involves their children…who mean the world to them. If you don’t think babysitting is a real job….please rethink it. And if you consider being a babysitter…especially for my team…requirements are reliability, cpr certification, transportation, and over 3 years of experience.
Not only do I babysit over 30 hours a week, but I have a babysitting business. Yes a business. I have over 50 active families that call me to supply a sitter and I have 9 other amazing sitters on my team. Even without owning a business, I hear and see other babysitter and nannies take on jobs that can be from 9am-7pm at least 3-4 days a week. And along with taking on babysitting jobs with such long hours, those babysitters take on jobs at night which sometimes means staying up till 1am and making sure the kids are in bed, safe and sound. This job also means always being on time and learning how to manage your time or be flexible. Its not like a regular resturant or corporate job… no one can just fill in for you if you happen to not show up, oversleep, or arrive late.
It’s not easy, especially when I try to cater to everyone’s needs and make everyone happy. Babysitting can be just as stressful as sitting in an office all day, I’m sure. It’s my job to make sure the kids I am with are happy, breathing, being fed properly, taking a nap on time, calming them down when they’re upset, and watching their every step to make sure they don’t get any injuries. I mean, it’s literally a life in my hands, and that’s something you can’t fool around with. It can get frustrating when they don’t want to listen to you, follow the rules, eat dinner, or can’t understand what you’re saying because they are too young to know. Not only do you have to make sure you keep the children happy, but the parents happy as well. That might mean staying extra hours if those parents are running late or if an emergency came up. The parents and the kids are relying on you!!
Even with these challenges, I enjoy being the reason for the smile on a child’s face. However, through the ups and the downs of watching a child of any age or the roller-coaster ride of working in an office everyday, it’s safe to say any REAL job is incredibly difficult but rewarding.