6 Big Benefits of Babysitting
Babysitting can offer several benefits for kids that can help them throughout their lives. Here are six examples:
Babysitting teaches kids to earn money and earn their way.
Babysitting teaches kids responsibility, as they are responsible for the well-being of someone else's child. This can help them develop a sense of accountability, which can be beneficial in many areas of their lives.
Babysitting builds time management skills, such as being able to schedule and prioritize tasks. This skill can be useful in school, work, and personal life.
Babysitting can also teach kids patience, as children can be unpredictable and require a lot of attention. This skill can be helpful in dealing with difficult people and situations throughout life.
Babysitting involves communicating with both children and parents. This can help kids develop strong communication skills, which are essential in many areas of life, including school, work, and personal relationships.
Babysitting often requires problem-solving skills, as kids may encounter unexpected situations while caring for children. Learning to think creatively and solve problems can be valuable in all areas of life.
Overall, babysitting can offer a range of benefits for kids that can help them develop essential life skills and prepare them for the challenges they may face in the future.
Check out what these three former babysitters are doing today!
Here is what these community leaders shared with us in their Sammy Rabbit childhood money memory interview about their childhood babysitting experiences.
Ilene Slatko, Financial Educator, Business Owner
"I started my babysitting career at 12, earning a whopping $.25/hour. To my chagrin, my mother insisted I save almost all of it. Despite still not having much spending money, I appreciated the trips to the bank with her, my savings passbook in hand."
Monica Thorns, Business Operations, Team Management & Leadership
I’ve worked since childhood and retained my practical ways even in college. When receiving the check for my college loans, I always dutifully signed it over to the university. Some classmates wondered why I didn’t use it for fun. It didn’t make sense to me. If I did this, where was the money coming from for this purpose?
I did work-study jobs, part-time jobs, and babysat through my four years. In fact, I was so popular, I ended up contracting out some of my childcare (getting a “cut” for the referral).
The babysitting money was my “fun” money. All the rest went towards my tuition contribution. The loans I did have were paid off within two years of graduation since I had little overhead when I moved home (although I contributed to my upkeep) and aimed to avoid debt.
Amy Irvine, CFP (c)
I remember the first time I was paid for work - babysitting. I was extremely excited because I could use some of this money to buy the "cool clothes" that we normally couldn't afford.
Sammy Rabbit Says
Sammy Rabbit says earning money is fun to do! Parents, give kids the opportunity to learn to earn and develop a strong work ethic.
Related Reading and Resources
Introducing Sammy's Let's Get Kids Financially Literate Campaign
Money Lesson 4 Parents Should Teach Kids (Nothing is Free)
Contact Sammy
If you have questions or suggestions or would like to learn more about Sammy Rabbit and his mission to teach kids great money habits and other important life skills, contact us.
