Being the second oldest of 15 grandchildren, my destiny in life was to babysit. From the age of 9, I already knew how to change a diaper and by 19 I could do it with my eyes closed and hands tied behind my back. Okay, that was a bit of an exaggeration, but I haven’t tried it out yet so who knows. Throughout these ten years, babysitting was essentially my only job. From babysitting my cousins to family friends to complete strangers, it was a convenient gig that treated me well. But in this decade, babysitting has allowed me to learn an indispensable amount of knowledge and has taught me vital lessons that I will forever hold onto. Alright, alright, yes, babysitting has its moments; from the screaming kids to the back-talk and even to the poop -based puns (wait those are pretty funny). However, it is so much more than that and I feel like babysitting is not recognized for its importance and how truly wonderful yet demanding job it really is. “But Bridgette, babysitting isn’t a real job and not that hard right? Well, anonymous person who I just made up, babysitters play more roles and are more important than you would think, and I’m hoping to prove that here.

Just as much as I was the second oldest of 15 grandchildren, first, I was the 18th out of 20 grandchildren. Up until the age of 9, I never was able to play the part of role model or be the person someone can look up to. I was able to fulfill that role for the first time through babysitting. When my cousin was first born, this is when I first learned how to hold a baby, change a diaper, feed a baby and so much more. In the moments like this, even at the young age of 9, I felt I had a duty to take care of my little cousin and be a role model to him. Those feelings have stuck with me ever since and it is not just with my cousins. The children I babysit, I hold this responsibility and heroine characteristic, even if I grew up with them or even if barely know them. I am just trying to be an individual these kids can look up to in the future... even if they don't know it yet.

When most people think of babysitting, they think of what they see in movies. A 15-year-old girl who sits down and turns on the TV the second the parents leave. But in reality, babysitting takes way more effort. A babysitter has to take on multiple personas. We are cooks, comedians, teachers, boo-boo- fixers, support givers, and relievers of stress for parents. I have helped more kids with Common Core math homework, that I could probably teach it myself (just kidding that stuff is so hard). I have finessed making dinosaur chicken nuggets and the perfect mac and cheese to the point where I can go on Master Chef. I have probably said "Woah that's so cool!" or "Wow you are so smart, I did not know that." a million times to a kid who does a simple thing or tells me something I already know, just to make them feel good about themselves and encourage them. You see, we are much more than babysitters, and to be recognized as anything less does not do the role of being a babysitter justice.

From part-time babysitting to full-time babysitting, this job has shaped me into the person I am today and I have learned so much from it; hoping to learn even more in the future. This job may not be a path everyone takes or would even think of, but that does not mean it should be demeaned for those instances. I have learned and gained more qualities like responsibility, initiative, confidence, leadership, and respect than any job could offer. So to that anonymous person, I made up, in the beginning, to answer your question, "Babysitting is a real job, we are more than just babysitters and I hope by now, you can realize the truth in that."

If you or a friend or a family member or anyone are babysitters, feel free to share and tag them in this and say thank you for everything and all you have done. I hope by the end of this article, you can recognize babysitting as more than just babysitting. I hope you enjoyed. Thank you so much!