Whenever someone asks me if I'm working this summer or if I have a job, I reply with, "I babysit." A typical response I receive is, "yeah, but do you have a real job?" *Cue my anger induced eye-twitch*.
Because the kids I babysat everyday last summer are now old enough to attend summer camps *tear*, I was forced to apply for "a real job" this summer. When filling out various applications, I realized that the sections for "prior work experience" were surprisingly bare. But how could this be? I have plenty of work experience, I babysat during the beginning of this summer and everyday last summer, for Pete's sake.
As a babysitter, I couldn't fill in "Company of Employment" or "Previous Job Title" or "Name of Employer." And since there is no section on a job application to indicate that child care is my only prior experience, I was left with practically blank applications (you can imagine what this did to my job search).
For that reason, I would like to take this time to explain all the job experience that comes with being a babysitter.
Magician
Babysitters, like magicians, figure out ways to truly perform the impossible. Like when it's snack time and you pose the question to your kids, "do you guys want puffy cheetos or regular?" Before realizing that there is only one bag of puffy left. But It's too late, the six five-year-olds you're watching have all seen this one bag and have simultaneously decided that all they want for snack is puffy cheetos. Any regular Joe would throw in the towel, but not a babysitter. You know it's time to perform some magic. I'm talking some biblical Jesus and the fish and the loaves miracle magic here, people.
A good babysitter never reveals her tricks (because she also has no idea how she pulled that one off).
Waitress
"Miss Meghan, I want water." "Miss Meghan, can I have my juice?" "Miss Meghan, I don't like my hot dog." "Miss Meghan, I don't want regular milk, I want chocolate milk." "Miss Meghan, Caroline is sitting in that seat, but I want to sit in that seat."
Just like waiters and waitresses, babysitters are constantly trying to please their customer. Though they can't actually skip out on the bill, our customers can and will cry if they are unhappy with the service. I'm not sure which is worse.
Therapist
Tell Miss Meghan why you're crying. Did someone make you sad? What did they do? Are you just having a sad day? Would watching some "Princess Sofia" help? What would make you feel happier?
As babysitters, it is our duty to ask the real thought provoking, soul searching questions. (You'll do whatever it takes to figure out why this kid is crying).
Parent
Taking care of children all day can make you feel like a parent (which is not at all an easy task, so shout out to the parents for doing this job for real). Holding them while they cry, cuddling them while they sleep, kissing their scrapes, it's hard not to get swept up in the emotions of being a babysitter. I'm pretty sure real tears formed in my eyes the first time one of the kids I was watching held my leg and told me she loved me (to be fair, she was trying to get cupcakes before lunch, but the love was still there ok?!). My favorite part of any babysitting job is when your kid hugs you before you leave. I mean, they really hug you and you just know that they love to have you there (also, you get to go home remembering why you need to wait to have your own kids).
Learning how to improvise, serve, and nurture are just a few of the many real world skills that make babysitting valuable job experience.
(Also is anyone hiring? I still need a job...).
