When I turned 16, I started babysitting for families all around my area. I quickly learned how to change diapers, prepare meals, put kids down for naps, and stop bad behavior. I feel it's very necessary for every teenage girl to babysit at least one kid while they're young.

So many women these days have no idea where to start when they have their first child. They seem so lost because they have never taken care of a child before they had one of their own. You need to gain experience with children before you consider starting a family of your own.

When you have a child you need to have some sense of preparedness. I feel that babysitting does that job because you’re essentially acting like a mom for the children you are watching. Being a dependable babysitter for a family is the greatest reward because your responsibility is to keep the children happy and under control. The responsibility used to scare me, but now I know that I won’t be that clueless mother who doesn’t know how to handle her children in the future.

I know babysitting seems like a hard job, but it's actually quite easy because children are easily entertained. You could get out a Tonka Trunk for a 2-year-old boy and he would be entertained for hours. Bringing out a Barbie for a little girl would lead them into a fantasy for hours on end.

Babysitting really helps me feel prepared for my future, and it also makes me a lot of money right before I leave for college. I plan to continue to babysit children for my job in college because I feel it leaves a positive mark on my life. Babysitting gives meaning to my future, while any other job would just be a huge waste of my time.

I can now proudly say that when I become a mother someday, that I will know how to manage my children in a way that’s not too lenient or strict; but somewhere in the middle. I know that taking care of children is a crucial responsibility where I am keeping their lives safe and happy.