“Nothing’s Better Than Friends!”

(Image borrowed from http://www.webring.org/
t/The-Baby-Sitters-Club-Webring)

I’m a jack-of-all-trades and a master of some. I’m working on mastering the art of skillfully entertaining kids.

Growing up, I always watched “The Babysitters Club” on the Disney Channel. In elementary school I wanted to do two things:

1. Start a club, like the one created by girls from "The Babysitters Club."
2. Babysit!

So, when I was in middle school, my parents let me take a whack at it. Ever since then, that’s what I’ve done. When I moved to Tallahassee, I picked the job back up. I babysit two silly little 4-year-olds named Quentin and Vivian. They’re on a journey through life and are exiting the world of toddlerhood. I’m confident about this because they will boldly look into your eyes and tell you: “I’m not a baby. I’m a big kid.”

I recently read a surprisingly good book for my PR Research and Strategies class. The book is called “The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make A Big Difference,” and it’s by Malcolm Gladwell. I’m not a fan of assigned reading, but I must give this book six thumbs up (my thumbs, Quentin’s thumbs and Vivian’s thumbs, too).

Even though this book isn’t about babysitting, I can apply some things that I read about to my second college “hustle.” So, here is.

Brittney’s List of Babysitting Tips 

Based upon children’s TV research from “The Tipping Point”

Me and Vivian on the see-saw!

1. Kid’s like variety. Follow the "Sesame Street" model. Instead of doing long, drawn-out activities with them, do a handful of short-and-sweet activities. Just the other day, I was hanging out with Q and Viv (we don’t call it babysitting, we call it hanging out). They get antsy if we only watch TV or if we only play outside. So, we watched TV for a little while, then we jumped on the trampoline, then we baked cookies, etc. I think you catch my drift.

2. If you run out of things to do, it’s OK. Kids don’t mind playing the same games that you played last time. On Sunday, I was running out of things to do with Quenten and Vivian. I got a bit nervous because I wanted to be on my toes ... I was far from it. Not knowing what to do, I thought back to the last time that I babysat them and suggested that we build a tent. Their eyes lit up! They ran to grab sheets and blankets in order to build something that we’ve built thousands of times before. It never gets old.  

3. Keep it simple. Gladwell explained in his book that the show “Sesame Street” is full of puns. The "Sesame Street" crew did it because they wanted to entertain parents who would be watching with their kids.  The creators of the show “Blue’s Clues” saw that kids don’t catch on to puns. Simplicity is the key!

Read up on “The Tipping Point.” Buy it if you’re looking for something good to read! http://www.amazon.com/Tipping-Point-Little-Things-Difference/dp/0316346624