The Babysitting Blog

Babysitters are many things while parents are away- a friend, a counselor, a guardian, a confidante. We hold many hats, and the lines can blur, especially when sitters see the same families. As a babysitter, unless you work with a particular age group, you will watch kids of all ages. Kids that won't just ask for their sippy cups. Kids that won't just want to play dinosaurs.  As a babysitter, there have been several conversations where I have had to stop and think of what the correct response in this situation with a child this age should be. Of course, I haven't always gotten it right, but each experience has made me consider life from a child's perspective and what their future would entail.  "Why do we get periods? Do they hurt? I don't want a period." Thank you, Turning Red , for these questions that the nine-year-olds I am watching throw at me. This was one of the easier questions, but I remember getting my first period and how everyone said it was n...

  I've been babysitting since I was in high school. Toddlers that could run. Babies that couldn't. Preteens that wanted to just sit and watch tv. And identical twins. There have been good days and bad, but through it all, I can say the ADULTS are the most challenging part of babysitting, but I will only discuss one topic what makes adults difficult. Pay.  Now I am a twenty-two-year-old adult, it isn't that hard to outmaneuver a two-year-old into settling down. Wink, wink, give him his binky, and he'll settle down in your lap with a book. This is not a one-time trick. You have to do this consistently, so the toddler associates pacifier time with book time, which equals quiet time.  Then, kids, they're smarter sure, but they're just as easily bribed because they can vocalize what they want. They want to stay up later; well, mom and dad say it's bedtime. "How about I help you guys to bed, and we can do some tablet time." Now for this trick, the secret...

Pre-Covid: Parents threw their kids at me. Post-Covid: Parents don't know how to let go. It's hard letting go of your kid and leaving them with a total stranger. I get it. I understand. It's even more challenging for the parents than the kids, though, because I assure you that as soon as you let go and leave, they may cry, but they will stop. It does not help your child to get to know me when they see mom and dad hovering around. So go, please go. You pay me to be here to watch your kid.  To sitters, do not be intimidated by a crying kid or a kid who refuses to let go of dad. A few gentle words go a long way in consoling a child. If that doesn't work, try offering them a treat or a toy. I bring toys to jobs where I know I have not babysat for the kid. They're unfamiliar to me, and Im unfamiliar with them. This is intimidating for us both. Toys tell a child, "I am friendly. So don't be scared." It helps to babysit families of all backgrounds. Don't ...

  The meme above is of my dog, and I did include Alt. Tags for those interested. I used Picsart to add the words to the images. This is how people normally feel at the beginning of the day, happy and excited, and then after school, work, and kids, the picture on the right is how they feel. I made this meme because I personally feel like this every day because I'm usually working every day and managing my grades while attempting to have a social life. It was fun making this meme and looking at my sweet pup, Lyric. 

  The explanation for J ust Write : My collage, Just Write, is, I hope inspiration for those who are struggling to write. I wanted my collage to be simple and easy to read. I tried not to put pictures on top of each other and used a bright background color to make the images pop in a way. I included a picture with a meaningful slogan, pictures of people writing in a car, and those who mapped out a writing plan. There are many paths to writing, such as just taking an hour and free writing or writing an outline before you begin. I wanted my collage to show the challenges of writing, the joy in writing, and that there is no one way to write. I also am not visually creative so forgive me for my not-so-complex, intriguing design. Citations: Writing and Driving " by Mike 'Dakinewavamon' Kline is licensed under CC BY 2.0 . " 2012-259 A Writing Six-Word Story " by mrsdkrebs is licensed under CC BY 2.0 . " Paula writes the diary " by magnusfranklin is licens...

  Law Enforcement Day at Grace Baptist Church:  Do not Judge the Majority for the Actions of a Few By: Angel Hunter / March 20, 2022, 5:40pm As I walked into Grace Baptist Church for the first time, three things worried me- one, this church was filled with way more people than I thought; two, I feared my plaid purple and pink long-sleeved sweatshirt and gray legging with black Nike’s was a little too underdressed and three if I would look as out of place as I felt. All of my worries slowly disappeared as an older, brown-skinned woman greeted me, urging me to sign it. Not one person commented on my outfit or reprimanded me for lazily wandering around.  Grace Baptist Church was booming with folks old and in-between, white and black. Worship took place at nine am sharp in a magnificent room. A live band played music as members and guests took their seats. It was my first day as an internship writer, and I sat in the back row, wanting a discreet place to take notes on my phon...