Babysitting has been a side job of mine since I was around 13 years old, and just recently it has become a full time job in my life. There are many rewarding skills and traits that come from babysitting. The decision to only babysit has been the greatest decision I've made so far ,and I encourage teenagers and young adults to try it out. Here are eight reasons why you should quit your job and become a babysitter or nanny.
1. The Money
The going rate for babysitter depending on age and experience is around $10 an hour. That’s around $2 more than minimum wage, plus most of the time you are being paid under the table, so tax isn’t a problem. Another bonus for the money is you usually work the same amount of hours a week so you don’t have to worry about hours being cut.
2. You Learn to Gain Patience
Whether it be helping a restless kid with homework or trying to break up siblings fighting, babysitting teaches you how to be patient. You learn keep your cool and how to handle any situation in an appropriate way.
3. Trial for Being a Mom
Being in different homes and dealing with different children, you start to make a mental list of all the parent techniques you would use on your future child. You also start to watch what you do and say around them because children learn quickly- a skill that’s important when you become a parent
4. It Teaches You Responsibility
For how many hours you are babysitting, you are in charge and you call the shots. It’s important to make decisions that not only make you comfortable but the children and their parents comfortable as well. For that time period, you are babysitting the kids and the parents rely on you to do a good job. This helps you understand that the world does not revolve around you ,and it’s your job to make sure that someone else’s children are safe and happy.
5. It Helps You with Time Management
Unlike most jobs, you cannot find a cover or call out sick because the parents are relying on you to be there. Being a college student, you learn how to organize and manage your time wisely. If you know you have a paper due Tuesday but you’re babysitting on Monday, you learn to make time in your schedule to have it complete.
6. Being Able to be a Kid Again
What other time is it acceptable to become a princess for a day? Or to run around and hide while someone tries to seek you? For three to four hours a day, you can forget about relationship drama, friend problems and school work, and just let go and be free. You become a kid again.
7. They Cheer You Up
Whenever you are having a bad day, kids know what to say or do to make you feel better. Whether it's just a silly question or a silly song they sing, there's no doubt that by the time you’re done babysitting, you’ll forget why you were upset in the first place.
8. It’s the Greatest Job in the World
Bottom line: it’s the greatest job in the world. I encourage everyone to invest time and try to become a babysitter or nanny.
