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Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Time Travel Tuesday~First Job



Time to share your first job experience...
What was your first job experience?
Do you remember the first paycheck, starting salary?
Do you remember your first boss, coworkers?
What was your favorite task/least favorite task?
How did that job end?

Hmmmmm....I suppose I will take this opportunity to discuss my first job even though it wasn't in a work environment, and had no coworkers.

When I was in the sixth grade....at age 11, I began babysitting. Not just babysitting, but babysitting at the child's home by myself. My first babysitting job was a permanent one for the next five years. I was the sole babysitter for my pastor's children. When I started they had only one child, Micah, and he was only a year old. I watched him for several hours each Sunday afternoon, and many Friday nights. A year later, along came Joshua. I watched both him and his brother for several hours when the baby was only one WEEK old. Ummm....I was 12. Along came little Sarah, a few years later. I watched all three children when Sarah was 4 days old. Ummmmm....I was 14. This job ended for me, when Sarah was nearly 2 years old, and they moved away.

I saved every dime I made for college. I was an extremely responsible child, and knew I needed my money for my education. I was a natural saver. The parents treated me well, and were wonderful people. I loved spending time with them, and their children. We never had any disagreements, and their children loved me, as I did them. It is an experience I cherish.

I loved playing with the kids, and changing diapers wasn't a big deal to me. I suppose the task I least liked was cleaning up the dishes after we ate. I never liked housework. I loved to read to the kids, and I always enjoyed my alone time after the kids were in bed. They had a video game system, and I got pretty hooked on Tetris, Super Mario and...ummmmm...oh dang I can't remember the name....Man I hate my swiss cheese mommy brain. It will come to me in the middle of the night. I kep thinking of the word "link"...but I just can't get it to make sense. Help!!!!

Anyhow, now as a mother, I have wondered...."what on earth were they thinking?" I was 11 and home alone with a one year old. I was a 12 year old, and home alone with a two year old and a one week old child. Who on earth leaves their 4 day old baby with a teenager? Seriously, I admire these people, and have always felt that they are good caring parents, but I would NEVER leave my child with someone so young. I look at a child of 11 now, and think....how could I ever put that much responsibility on a young person. What if there was an emergency? I know that I tend to be pretty neurotic, but am I alone in thinking that I was given way too much responsibility at a young age?

I do, however, believe that I might have been a better babysitter when I was 11, than I was at 16. When I was 11, I still wanted to play with toys, and so I spent the whole time playing with the babies. When I was 16, I was more interesting in raiding the fridge, and talking on the phone. Regardless of this fact, I still feel that they are VERY lucky nothing happened on my watch. NOT because I was careless, but I am not certain I would have been able to respond correctly in the event of an accident.

Be sure to click on the logo at the top of this post to read about more "first jobs!"

16 Live It or Love It:

Laura said...

Wow, what a great first job experience! I wish I had enjoyed babysitting more...I did it sometimes, but just wasn't very into it, and therefore probably wasn't any good at it! LOL

FWIW, I bet you would have handled an emergency quite well!

Anonymous said...

I was a babysitter too~but I don't remember it near as well as you do!

*THANK YOU* for your comment on my blog~OH you CRACKED ME UP! LOL! (((((HUGS))))) sandi

Sara@Sarandipity said...

I so wanted to be a babysitter when I was young, but was never given the chance. No one around me needed one. I'm glad you had such a great experience. And I'm sure you would be a great person to have in an emergency.

Oh, and I think you may be thinking of The Legend of Zelda. I believe the characters name is Link.

Deb said...

I babysat too, starting at age 13, for a family with 4 kids! When I started sitting, the youngest was 9 months old. I can't imagine leaving my kids with a 13-year-old, especially one I didn't know beforehand... Crazy! I babysat for them up until college though.

Great story! :)

Lauren said...

Sounds like a great first job experience. But I agree with you.. what were they thinking! I guess some people are more relaxed about that kind of stuff.

I was also young when I first babysat. I was 12 and I babysat a one year old. I babysat her until she was nearly 3.

Emily said...

That's kinda scary that they were so trusting...I am glad that nothing happened. When I was 11 I kinda babysat for a girl but her parents worked from home so I was really just distracting her. Even so, they didn't want me staying with her when they left!!

Shannon @ Gabi's World said...

What a responsible young girl you were. Yeah that is a little young. I think 14 was okay, but not for a newborn with 2 other kids.

Annie said...

You must have been a very responsible girl to handle it that well... and save for college! I'm impressed!
*´¨)
¸.·´¸.·*¨) ¸.·*¨)
(¸.·´ (¸.·’ * Annie *

Maude Lynn said...

Wow! That is a LOT of responsibility at such a young age!

Anonymous said...

I started babysitting when I was young too...but not 11! Wow...like you, I can't imagine leaving a newborn with someone so young!

BTW...thanks for stopping by and for your kind comment on my photography. I have tons to learn, but I'm having fun with the learning process ;)

Marcia Francois said...

Wow, you were so responsible!

Your daughter is just gorgeous and yes, she does have stage presence :)

Organising Queen and
Marcia's take charge blog

Jo Beaufoix said...

Ooo I used to babysit too.

You're not allowed to do it till you're 14 in the UK though and most people stick by that.

I wouldn't leave Miss E and Miss M now with an 11 year old, so I don't think you're neurotic at all Corey.

Just a good Mummy.

Anonymous said...

I forgot about my babysitting adventures~ Trusting me, what were they thinking?????

Thanks for visiting http://tonsofsons.wordpress.com/

Nancy Face said...

It sounds like you were the most wonderful, responsible babysitter around, and they were blessed to have you! I totally agree with you about the age issue, though. My daughter was repeatedly aked to babysit at age 10 and 11, and neither she nor I thought that was old enough. We would tell people to call when she was 12, but they didn't...they just asked her 10 and 11 year old friends to babysit for them, and then they stayed with those same girls. My daughter almost never got a babysitting job because of that...weird! Thank you for your great story! :)

Kim said...

What a great treasure you were that family! I babysat a lot, but never any newborns that young. My daughter started babysitting at age 11 or 12, but it was always close to home and I was available for any crisis she might need help with--which she never did!
*smiles*
Kim

Jenny said...

Wow. I agree with you. You were mighty young to have all that responsibility put on you, but I'm glad it worked out well!
I enjoyed your 100th post. I was laughing at you by #5. I am a talker, too, and we WILL find a way to talk. No one can shut us up! :)

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