Have you ever wondered what babysitters really think, or how they feel behind the ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye’ smiles? We are proud to feature a testimonial from Brooklyn babysitter extraordinaire Emmanuela Blanc (who is also our summer intern here in Brooklyn), which helps us find out a little bit more. She allows us to understand that the babysitter herself is also learning and discovering, alongside your child. Enjoy this sweet piece!
Hi my name is Emmanuela, and to be 100% honest, I never thought that spending large chunks of time with kids would be something that made me super excited to get up to go do for work everyday. Now, after time, it totally is. I’m a college sophomore in Pennsylvania, and babysitting has been in my life ever since my junior year of high school here in Brooklyn.
In the beginning, it was “just a job.” Now, however, I see it as a new and amazing experience every time I do it. I’ve learned so much about communication, compassion, listening, patience, and even laughing a lot more from hanging with children. It’s brought me closer to humanity on a deeper level, and I think it’s a wonderful opportunity to reach further, if you will.
Not to sugarcoat things too much; babysitting can make me go a little nuts depending on the type of parent I’m dealing with, and also which type of kids. Some parents are very high-strung, and they don’t really like the idea of their kids getting into a tiny little bit of trouble. From my experience, that’s just what kids do- they get into trouble to figure out what shouldn’t be done again. They learn. These helicopter parents need to back off and allow childhood to take over, just slightly. It can be draining to deal with these sorts of households.
I’ll be honest with you: my favorite kind of parents are the ones who aren’t to afraid of their kids just being kids. Maybe accidentally falling and bumping into things like normal little ones all tend to do. I like parents who let me use my own babysitting methods as I watch their children with the trust and respect of my word. If you trust me, I actually will be a stronger sitter for your child. The power of someone’s respect, word, and trust gives me the freedom to be bigger and better in the timeframe I have with your kids.
The child can also have an effect in the way I babysit. I might be given the opportunity to babysit an only child, and since I grew up with siblings, I tend to have the immediate mindset of an individual from a larger group involving kids with many needs when dealing with all kids. Brooklyn is full of “onlies” though. In theses situations, I try to set myself in the child’s shoes, or maybe think of an elder brother or sister doing something the child is doing and use it as a reference of a way to help me figure the situation out.
Kids are amazing, yet sometimes extremely tricky. A simple conversation always amazes me because of all the brilliant things they have to say, show, and express. They usually just need to be talked to. They’re obviously a bit emotional for more time on a daily basis than we older people are, but they are feeling most of these big feelings and experiencing and customs that we bigger people are used to, for the first time. Sometimes a good cry can go a long way! It’s not always a bad thing for a kid to cry it out.
7 of my quick discoveries from babysitting, that may help you as parents:
1. Try at all costs to keep things calm.
Yelling doesn’t work. Often, it makes situations more complicated. Creating a more one-on-one situation will make the kid feel less stressed, and more open to listening.
2. Keep things creative.
Make a pop-up book, build a Lego-sized mansion, create a lost treasure map. It’s an awesome opportunity to pull out your hidden creative skills to be around kids, and these types of activities will keep them away from TV or video games, which will also make them sleep more soundly for you at night (helpful hint).
3. Build a bond.
A babysitting job isn’t just you sitting around, passively watching someone’s kids. You’re spending time with an individual or a group of individuals who are uniquely different, so try to create a bond that helps build a friendship, and a more comfortable environment for you both.
4. Communication is key!
Talk to each other! this might sound like coupling advice but, in actuality, it creates an open environment for the kid to know you’re someone they can talk to. From knock-knock jokes, to how they spent their first day of summer camp, to their most embarrassing moment of all time. All of these topics help create a very healthy relationship between caregiver and child.
5. Be positive, and keep a beautiful smile on your face.
I, for one, am not a huge fan of unhappiness. Staying positive helps both parties be in less of a funk. Keeping your heads up and looking at the brighter side of things will help in many situations.
6. Sometimes a good snack goes a long way.
My favorite snacks to have available whenever babysitting are the easy to clean up after, and simple to dispense. Pouched apple sauce or cheddar bunnies are great to carry around and are also super delicious.
7. Again, (a necessary repeat especially needed with kids) make sure to keep smiling…
Sometimes (as with any job) there might not seem like there is any reason to keep things cheery, but there are, and you’ve got to find that. Kids are taking cues from you at all times, and they need to have a background of positivity to feel secure within. Smiling not only will make you feel better, but also everyone around you also including the child, which is always great. Isn’t that the whole point?
Hi. My name is Emmanuela Blanc, I am a 19 year-old Babysitter in Brooklyn, New York during my free time away from school. During the school year, I attend Penn State University with a major as a Broadcast Journalist. Babysitting is a job I find quite enjoyable due to the relationships I have built with the parents that I babysit for. It’s a job that for me has come with new friends and family.