What Does It Really Mean to be a Babysitter?

David, 15 months

I've been babysitting for this Little Man since he was less than a month old, and his siblings for five months before that. But it only took five minutes for me to absolutely fall in love with every single one of them. This fact brings me to my question: What does it really mean to be a babysitter?

When I first started, I expected babysitting to be an opportunity to gain experience with young children, a chance to earn a little extra cash between classes, and maybe even a way to try out some of the teaching techniques I was learning at school. All of these expectations have come to fruition, but I've also found something more, a connection.

I have no idea what being a parent feels like. I do, however, know what it feels like to watch these kids run up to me when I walk in the door or "heal" bumps, bruises, and hurt feelings with whispers, hugs, and songs.

Pictures such as this one could be capturing just how engrained into these children's lives I am, and they in mine. However, they could also represent a simple request for a drink or a diaper change.

I recently found a video on Vimeo of Doug Sterbenz describing the differences between parents and babysitters at a leadership conference. Sterbenz works within the business world, not that of childcare, but I found his take on babysitters interesting. His perspective on babysitting has not equaled my experience; however, I realize that I am different from most babysitters. I am not a teenager looking for a way to bolster my allowance; I am seeking a meaningful experience.

In contrast to Sterbenz, I also found a post about the top ten reasons why babysitters love what they do. I will admit that this list comes from a site that connects babysitters with parents and is therefore most likely biased, nonetheless, I believe these statements are true for some babysitters.

To me, this is more than a job, but I'm interested in other views. Therefore I'm asking all of you to write your opinions in the comments. What does it really mean to be a babysitter?

-Lyndsey

(image credit: provided by author)