The Five Basic Types of Babysitters

Let’s be honest, we all have our own babysitting style. Some of us are more go-with-the-flow, while others have more authoritarian styles. It’s all good, as long as the family is happy and you’re happy. For those of you who are still trying to figure out what type of babysitter you might be, I’ve taken the liberty of creating what I believe to be the five basic types of babysitters for you.

The Newbie

This sitter is brand new to the game. They might be a little younger than most, but they’ve got a ton to offer—especially when it comes to their energy level. They might be a little nervous, but they are general well intentioned and thankful for the experience.

Cool Older Sibling

This sitter does all of the awesome things that the kids can’t do with their parents. Maybe they let the kids stay up ten extra minutes for good behavior, but they are generally awesome with children. They’ve probably got younger siblings at home, so they know the game pretty well and are prepared for anything. Kids love them.

The Couch Potato

This sitter does exactly what you think they would: they sit on the couch, eat all the snacks, and are generally disinterested in babysitting. They’re rather inattentive to the children and they probably let the kids do whatever they want, as long as they leave the sitter alone.

The Mary Poppins

Oh, Mary Poppins. What can I say about this sitter? They’re basically pure magic. They have endless activities to entertain kids with, and they never fail to get them to cleaned up at the end of the day. Every. Single.Time.

They love to entertain the kids with everything from songs to books to science experiments. And quiet time? It’s a breeze for this sitter. They’ve seen it all, they’ve done it all, and they clearly love every second of it.

The Professional

This sitter has got it all. They’ve probably been doing this for years, and they’ve definitely taken all the relevant babysitting courses that exist. They’re professional, well mannered, and can probably teach the children a thing or two while they are with them. They keep the children in line without ever coming across as harsh. They’re the type of sitter who gets booked again and again.

The moral of the story? Don’t be the couch potato! The key to booking and maintaining more jobs is to be involved. Hang out with the kids, get to know them—you might even find out you have some things in common.

You might find that you fit into more than one of these categories, or maybe you don’t fit any of them at all; that is totally okay. Like I said, everyone has their own style and there is no one right way to babysit. Do your best, and remember that practice makes perfect!