Since I was about 13 years old, I have been making money by babysitting. In those seven years, I have watch newborns all the way to 12-year-olds and none of them are the same. However, they all teach you similar things. Here are some of the things I have learned while babysitting

1. Patience

You can never have enough patience with kids. They do all kinds of crazy things. Throwing toys, not eating until their parents come home, and crying! Oh, the crying! But when everything calms down and the kids start having a great time, every crazy thing that happened is worth it.

2. Kids have CRAZY imaginations.

The games children come up with are pretty nuts and funny. I’ve played lava, cops and robbers, puppies and even camping. But their imagination runs wild! It amazes me to hear the things that come out of their mouths. If you have ever babysat, you know what I am talking about.

3. Kids know more than you think.

Kids are getting smarter and smarter every day! I have had a 3 year old tell me to stabilize their bike. Yes, he really said stabilize. The same 3 year old started my car without even the slightest bit of help. I’ve also had 1 year olds open baby gates and 4 year olds start TV systems that I couldn’t even think about turning on. Their smartness is sometimes mind boggling, but it can also be really funny!

4. You start to get protective.

When parents trust you with the care of their children, you don’t want to lose that trust. If that means not letting them jump on the trampoline while the parents are gone because you don’t want to make the phone call saying their child broke their arm on your watch, then don’t do it. If that makes you a terrible person at the moment, so be it. I would rather be a terrible person than take a trip to the emergency room and make that phone call.

5. Problem-solving is key.

Brothers and sisters are always going to have their rivalries and troubles. We pick on each other, that’s what we do. Believe me, I have seven of them, I know! But when babysitting, you have to keep the kids from killing each other and get them to put those personal feelings aside to keep the peace. You have to solve problems left and right to make sure the kids are happy and getting along!

6. They keep you active.

Whether the activity is running through sprinklers, playing tag and hide and seek for hours, or riding bikes around the neighborhood, you are always moving! Sometimes I wonder if they will ever get tired or take a nap. But when they don’t you have to suck it up and keep moving. In some ways they keep you young. I mean I am only 19, but you can’t be 3 forever.

Kids can teach you lots of things! And while I am so excited to have one of my own in the future, I am happy I get to give the ones I watch back at the end of the day.