If you’re not a babysitter already, here are some reasons why you should be. If you are, then here’s some reminders as to why you should be happy to have one of the best jobs in the world!
Rediscover Your Inner Child
When you’re around children, there’s no way of escaping their infectious, playful and joyful energy.
They’ll remind you of the things that you forgot were fun and get you doing silly things just for the pure joy of it.
It’s the most beautiful way to nourish your inner-child and give yourself permission to let your hair down and enjoy the moment without worrying about what other people are thinking.
No Qualifications Needed
If you need your sitter to be working before 9am or if you’ve gone out for a big parents-gone-wild night out and you get home past 12, you should be paying your sitter a little extra for their time.
Extra points for making sure that they have a safe way of getting home in those dark hours.
Movie Time
A lot of babysitting involves sitting on the couch eating the leftover kid’s snacks hoping that there aren’t any hidden cameras around. This is especially true while babysitting at night while the kids are in bed.
It’s the perfect way to get to be a couch potato while also earning money and feeling productive.
If the kids are around then it can be a good opportunity to watch those guilty pleasure movies that you used to love as a kid yourself.
If you usually live in a busy household, this could almost be like a holiday away!
Allows for Multitasking
If you’re babysitting during nap time or at night then there’s a lot of opportunity to get other work or study done while you’re there. This is why babysitting is the perfect job for students or people who run their own business and need the extra money.
Skill Development
Being a sitter can also mean being a cook for the world’s biggest critics, the emergency explosion cleaner, a personal assistant, a mediator, a teacher, and someone with endless amounts of patience.
Kids demand a lot from us, which is why we come away from the experience with our minds like jelly.
However, the little gremlins are really teaching us a lot about human behaviour and how to cope with the strong emotions and needs of others.
Preparation for Later On
If your goal is to go into childcare or teaching then this is the perfect job to start with.
Working with children seems to be something that people tend to either really love or hate with a passion, and by getting a taste of it then you’ll be able to get a better idea as to which person you are.
A lot of people love the idea of looking after kids but then once they start, they realise that it’s a lot more of a challenge than they were prepared for.
Before you get qualified in anything, have a go at babysitting first and see how you go.
Flexible Hours
Babysitters are needed at all hours of the day and night. Because it doesn’t fit into the standard 9 ‘til 5 schedule, this makes it the perfect opportunity to make some extra dosh outside of another job.
The amount of hours that you would typically work varies quite a lot too depending on the family’s needs, so you can simply find the right match for you and you’ll have a perfect fit.
About the Author
Maddy’s years of experience babysitting as well as her love of words bring us all we need to know about all things babysitting. She currently runs the Babysitters List site and still looks after kids occasionally.
