*raises hand and waves it around*

I do!!!!!! I babysit a 2 year old girl a couple of tims a week. I alternate with my sister but she used to get ALL the hours and I only got maybe 12 a week.  (so I get how you feel) but she's getting her wisdom teeth out on the 5th so I get ALL her hours for a while. So far over the last week, I had 15 hours, and since I get paid every 2 weeks, this paycheck should be HUGE since I usually work 12 a week. So now I'll send this page to the back and maybe, if i'm not too lazy, I'll revive it tomorrow. No, wait, tomorrow's my birthday, and I have to get up at 7 to go babysit (go figure) and then I have to got to dance, and I won't be home until 5:30, and I have to eat cake and open presents (not complaining there) so............. LIGHTBULB. I should be home by 3:30 since  I don't leave for dance until 4:15. So no fear Mary Jo, this thread WILL be seen. 

I'm not sure if that was all really necessary, but oh well.

~Believe~

Clair Marie

I haven't babysat before... but I may be getting a job soon!  There are some people that just moved to my city for work and they have two kids: a girl (9) and a boy (6) and they may need someone to babysit.  And they mentioned to my mom that I could be their babysitter.  I would need to do some preparing and stuff, since I really don't know what I'm getting into, but I think it would be fun!  I just worry because I'm not sure exactly how to make sure they have a fun time.  Anyone have advice?  (Also, I don't if this is set in stone yet, but I'm curious anyway. :D)

~Leaf 

Wow, that's a lot of babysitting!!! :) I don't have a chance to do it that often, but I have before. I wish I could do it as much as you are, Mary Jo! I love watching over little kids. :) I'm excited, because in a couple of weeks, we'll be in IL, and I'll get to play with 4 of my little cousins!!! :D Hope your babysitting jobs are fun, easy, and without troubles! ;)

@ Leaf: All you really need to do is make sure you're playing with them and asking them what they want to do. You could read them a book, play hide-and-seek, watch a bit of TV (if that's ok with their parents), and if you're allowed, go outside and kick a ball. A lot of babysitters tend to sit there and not do anything, which is not fun at all for the kids. Be firm. Don't let the kids boss you around. It would also be a good idea to get a babysitter certificate from the Red Cross that says you're certified, you know CPR, blah blah blah. You don't have to though. I actually don't have this, but I'm from a family of 7 kids, so I know how to deal with them.

@ Ema: I would say start out at $4-$6 an hour, depending on how many kids there are. Once you're in your teens, you might want to charge $6 and up. I'd say if it's over 4 kids, charge a bit more than you normally would. But then again, it's totally up to you. And about your sister: my suggestion would be to do some crafts with her or make something in the kitchen. It could just be something simple like pudding or jello, and if you're allowed to use the oven, you could make cookies or cupcakes. Hope it all goes well!

A lot of the time, parents won't even ask for a price. They'll just hand you some money and it'll probably be way more than you would have asked for. And that's fine with me. :)

I  sort of babysit, but they call it childcare, and I don't get paid, and there're a few other teenagers helping. My mama and some other women do this Bible study at a lady's house, and all the kids of the parents get watched by older kids in the basement. The basement is awesome. The whole house (all that I've seen of it anyway) is totally awesome. 

Today, the kids did freeplay for a while and I got sneezed on by a toddler, and then they were split into two different groups, one went to do crafts first, and the other did glowsticks in the "glowstick room". The craft was *thankfully* really simple this time. The glowstick room is pretty simple. All you've got to do is sit in the dark and make sure none of the kids break the glowsticks, play "lightsavers" with them as one boy puts it, oh yeah, and make sure that none of the kids are poking each other's eyes out. And then they had snacktime, which was popcorn and carrots and water. There were two water spills today, I think that's a record. And one of the boys helping filled up too many cups with water and handed one to me to drink, and since all the cups get mixed up even though we put everybody's names on them, I ended up drinking from a cup that I didn't know who drank from it before me. 

Most of the time the kids are funny, but there are a few who start punching and stuff and we have to tell them off. The kids also trade sillybands every single time, and one of the boys helping said it was like a "sillyband trading arena" and that "America is being invaded by silybands".

Next Friday is the last Bible study and so the last time we'll get to look over the kids. :( It's fun! I don't want it to end!

Tomorrow, we're going to one of the women's house who goes to the Bible study and whose three boys help with the kids, and also her younger son and daughter and baby play in the basement.     

Spamboy says "mbug".  

It's a summer job for me. A couple weeks every summer sitting a couple kids. A nice girl, an ever-so-slightly annoying girl, and once a boy who is a holy terror. I will not babysit him *ever* again.

Sitting is a fun job, as a rule, and a great way to plump up a thin purse. Always in demand, too.

Random suggestion: If you don't know what to get someone for a baby shower, coupons for free babysitting are always appreciated, 'specially if the mom already has some kids.

Cheers,

lavendershy