I've always been the oldest in my family when it comes to my siblings and my cousins. So naturally, I was always the designated babysitter. It wasn't always so bad, but if you grew up having to babysit, then you know how draining it can be. Here are the 11 stages one goes through while babysitting.
1. The "I Got This" Stage
You're asked if you're available to babysit. At first, you hesitate to say yes, but eventually have a pep talk with yourself: "How hard could it be? Why not? A couple of hours will go by fast. I GOT THIS. Easy peasy!"
2. The "I Regret This" Stage
You agree to babysit, but then something comes up. That something seems to be the most exciting thing going on at that point in your life and you regret your decision to babysit.
3. The "Try To Get Out Of It" Stage
You think, "Well, I'll just say I have a big project or I got sick, that will definitely work." Of course, you're not that horrible a person to ruin a night out for someone else. So, you start mentally preparing yourself for what's to come.
4. The "Mental Preparation" Stage
You ask yourself, "What am I going to do with these kids?" The answer is always: "Anything that requires the least amount of energy." Movie and a pizza? Sounds perfect, right? But no movie in the world is long or entertaining enough to keep any kid sitting until their parents return home.
5. The "Drop Off" Stage
Finally, the day has come and the kids are running wild. You already know that you did not mentally prepare yourself enough for what is to come...
6. The "I Need Caffeine" Stage
At this point, it's just you and the kids. The movie didn't hold up, so you're stuck running around playing hide-and-go-seek, catch, literally every activity that requires the highest level of energy. You seek out your best pal, coffee (or coke).
7. The "I'm Hungry" Stage
"I'm hungry." These words could burn holes through your ears. Every option to satisfy the child's hunger is out of the question because for some reason they enjoy being difficult.
8. The "Is It Time For Bed Yet?" Stage
Not for the kids, but for you. You're so run down by this point, you consider taking a nap. This option, unfortunately, is not up for discussion because you're too afraid that the kids will set the house on fire.
9. The "Counting Down The Minutes" Stage
You find yourself pulling out your phone every five minutes to check if 30 minutes have miraculously passed by. To no surprise, they haven't.
10. The "Pick Up" Stage
It's finally time to say your goodbyes. You feel relieved, yet sad in a strange way.
11. The "Rest" Stage
You finally get a second to sit down and breathe. You then realize that the house seems a lot quieter and lonelier. You start to miss the crazy that the kids brought with them, but that feeling goes away instantly the next time you find yourself having to babysit once again.
