For many girls, babysitting is a first job, and I'm no different. It was a fun, easy (sometimes) way for me to earn a little bit of money for the things that I wanted in my spare time. I never had to have a "real" job in high school, but babysitting shaped me into the person I am today. Here are the reasons it made me a better person.
I learned responsibility.
This is one is simple - but there's nothing like someone trusting you with the life of the tiny human that they created to learn responsibility. I fed them when they were hungry, held them when they got hurt, and made sure they didn't destroy everything in their path (or at least that it didn't look like it when their mom got home). Hopefully someday I can keep my own tiny human alive, but for now I've kept two cats alive.
I learned to negotiate.
As a babysitter, it can be pretty hard to get some kids to listen to me. I mean, toddlers are basically little terrorists who will hold anything against you. Sometimes I had to realize when a cookie was worth the help picking up toys or when all I needed to stop one game was to propose another one. It was a skill I developed well over the years and one that I'm sure I'll use many more times.
I learned a LOT of patience.
Children aren't always easy. In fact, a lot of things about dealing with them is difficult. When I watched babies, it was a constant guessing game for what they needed. There was a lot of trial and error involved (and probably a lot of crying too). With some toddlers, I had to battle at nap time for only twenty minutes of silence. For others, I had to run twenty circles around the house doing and saying exactly the same things. Each child required a different level of patience expressed different ways.
I learned compassion.
Because children don't have a firm grasp on the circle of life, they often have a greater appreciation for life than adults do - especially the lives of tiny creatures like bugs. Among my favorite examples of this, a little girl I was babysitting saw bits of bark on the ground around a tree. We walked around and picked them all up and put it back on the tree because she said they wanted to be with their mommy. It was one of the most pure gestures I've ever seen of a person and I try to reflect that in the way that I treat not only people, but other creatures as well.
I learned to never give up.
If you've ever seen a child who desperately wanted something, you've literally seen the epitome of determination. They will use begging, bribing, sweet talking, and maybe even a little force to get their hands on that toy, that cookie, or get you to play that game. More often than not, at the time, I was probably annoyed, but there's something admirable in doing everything in your power to get what you want (even if that something is a temper tantrum). I've learned to channel that same headstrong attitude into getting what I want.
I gained a deeper appreciation for the little things.
Especially at a young age, children are in awe of all of the things that the world has to offer. I got excited about the bouquet of dandelions and blades of grass one little boy gave me just because he was so proud. I sat and admired the beauty of the moon because the little girl was so in awe that she could see it during the day. I watched squirrels climb through the trees and birds fly away. I love to take time out of my day to appreciate the beauty of the world around me and I think far more people should.
It gave me a pretty wild imagination.
When watching young kids, the most fun way to play is playing pretend. The beauty of childhood is being able to create an entire world all your own and many of them lose that with age. But, well into my teenage years (and even adulthood), when many kids my age had stopped playing pretend, I still was. I was a princess searching for and befriending monsters. I was an explorer climbing mountains, jumping over oceans, and lassoing the moon. I was a school bus driver with a bus full of alligators. I guarantee that I had a lot more fun at my job than a lot of people did (or than I do now). This imagination has led me to writing in my adulthood and continuing to create a world all my own and it is a beautiful thing.
Overall, each little human taught me a different lesson in my life and I'm thankful for all of them because I am a better person for it. So thank you to all of the parents who allowed me in their child's life and to all of the children who made me who I am today.
