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Don't Sit On the Baby!: The Ultimate Guide to Sane, Skilled, and Safe Babysitting
Babysitting is one of the most popular part-time jobs for teens, but caring for kids is no easy feat. Offering a ton of useful tips, this funny, modern no-nonsense guide covers all the basics any babysitting hopeful needs to know, and much more.
-What to expect from kids age 0 to 10
-Tips for finding (and keeping) the perfect babysitting gig
-Advice on how to deal with everything from emergencies to dirty diapers.
-Strategies for communicating with parents.
-Real-life stories from teens about their experiences on the job.
- A babysitting personality quiz, helpful fill-in sheets, and kid-friendly recipes teens can use to make mealtime more fun!
-What to expect from kids age 0 to 10
-Tips for finding (and keeping) the perfect babysitting gig
-Advice on how to deal with everything from emergencies to dirty diapers.
-Strategies for communicating with parents.
-Real-life stories from teens about their experiences on the job.
- A babysitting personality quiz, helpful fill-in sheets, and kid-friendly recipes teens can use to make mealtime more fun!
- GenresNonfictionHow To
128 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
5 people are currently reading
78 people want to read
About the author
Halley Bondy
8 books6 followersHalley Bondy is a professional freelance writer, journalist, editor, producer, and mom based in Brooklyn. You can find her articles in NBC News, The Balance, Contently, Digital Trends, Bustle, Romper, The Outline, MTV, and more. She writes scripts for the “Masters of Scale” podcast, and has written for “You Must Remember This.” She has written three other books for Zest including "Speak Up, a guide to having a say and speaking your mind." Learn more at www.thisishalley.com.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
November 18, 2013
This book was so good!!! There aren't many nonfictional books that I read all the way through but this one had me hooked. It has so many great resources and tips. I think this is a great book to have and pull out every now and then when you need to assistance. And the book was also entertaining all the way through so that's a plus :)
August 24, 2022
I borrowed this from my library for two reasons: it was immediately available so I could use it for a reading challenge I'm doing, and I wanted to compare the advice in this book to what I did when babysitting as a teenager.
I finished it, so challenge accomplished.
It was also waaaaaayy more serious than any babysitting gig I've ever had in my life.
The sections on common milestones for each age group was actually kind of helpful. I hate hearing calls go out for children under 14 because I don't really know how to interact with them. This gave a bit of insight into which age group might do what, and how to talk with them. It may have been in a more casual context than a medical one, but hey, everything helps, right?
The business side, though, was wild. There's fairly comprehensive advice on advertising, pay and interviews. They even had a section on building a babysitting business empire. Like damn, that's a lot. When I was in high school, you got babysitting jobs from your parents' friends or your neighbours. Mine were mostly one-time things, but I did have an ongoing one for a few months once. The standard pay for babysitting at the time was 10-15 bucks an hour, which is much, much higher than the rates in this book. Granted, it's American, and American minimum wage is an absolute joke, so it makes sense that teenagers working as babysitters would make less than $10/hour in most places. Still, yikes.
The best recommendation in this book, in my opinion, is taking a babysitting course and getting first aid/CPR certified. I took a babysitting course at a community centre when I was about 12 (whether it was a recognized course or literally just some random lady teaching us about not setting things on fire, I have no idea, but the fire section traumatized me for a year) and it did prepare me for babysitting, kinda. Younger teens or those with no experience with children could definitely benefit, and I'm glad it was included. First aid and CPR are muy importante for anyone and everyone. Please take a first aid and/or CPR class. Ignore than my teenage babysitting gigs were mostly done with expired certifications. If you saw me with expired CPR certs, no you didn't <3
If anyone I work with ever sees this: this bitch always has an up-to-date BLS now.
I finished it, so challenge accomplished.
It was also waaaaaayy more serious than any babysitting gig I've ever had in my life.
The sections on common milestones for each age group was actually kind of helpful. I hate hearing calls go out for children under 14 because I don't really know how to interact with them. This gave a bit of insight into which age group might do what, and how to talk with them. It may have been in a more casual context than a medical one, but hey, everything helps, right?
The business side, though, was wild. There's fairly comprehensive advice on advertising, pay and interviews. They even had a section on building a babysitting business empire. Like damn, that's a lot. When I was in high school, you got babysitting jobs from your parents' friends or your neighbours. Mine were mostly one-time things, but I did have an ongoing one for a few months once. The standard pay for babysitting at the time was 10-15 bucks an hour, which is much, much higher than the rates in this book. Granted, it's American, and American minimum wage is an absolute joke, so it makes sense that teenagers working as babysitters would make less than $10/hour in most places. Still, yikes.
The best recommendation in this book, in my opinion, is taking a babysitting course and getting first aid/CPR certified. I took a babysitting course at a community centre when I was about 12 (whether it was a recognized course or literally just some random lady teaching us about not setting things on fire, I have no idea, but the fire section traumatized me for a year) and it did prepare me for babysitting, kinda. Younger teens or those with no experience with children could definitely benefit, and I'm glad it was included. First aid and CPR are muy importante for anyone and everyone. Please take a first aid and/or CPR class. Ignore than my teenage babysitting gigs were mostly done with expired certifications. If you saw me with expired CPR certs, no you didn't <3
If anyone I work with ever sees this: this bitch always has an up-to-date BLS now.
October 13, 2022
This is a great primer for those getting ready to babysit for the first time. (And honestly, it's not a bad quick read for first time parents or aunts/uncles lol). From helping them to figure out what type of sitter they will be (or if they even should babysit) to managing schedules and putting school and extra curriculars as a priority over a well paying job, how to charge, what to do in emergencies, age differentials and tips, etc., this covers everything a teen will need to know to get a babysitting job.
Essential skills are covered - especially feeding and changing babies, questions to ask, basic first aid (certification recommended), dealing with picky eaters, diapers and bathroom help, playtime, fun ideas, behavior challenges, bathtime, bedtime, and real-life stories from babysitters.
Business basics are also covered - talking to your parents, creating a resume and special email just for babysitting, how to charge, how to quit a job, how to update the parents on how the night went, etc.
Highly recommended!
Essential skills are covered - especially feeding and changing babies, questions to ask, basic first aid (certification recommended), dealing with picky eaters, diapers and bathroom help, playtime, fun ideas, behavior challenges, bathtime, bedtime, and real-life stories from babysitters.
Business basics are also covered - talking to your parents, creating a resume and special email just for babysitting, how to charge, how to quit a job, how to update the parents on how the night went, etc.
Highly recommended!
October 20, 2019
This book came through our library's rotation section so I got it out to brush up on my babysitting knowledge. It's an excellent guide to babysitting.
May 28, 2014
I would rate this book a 5 out 5 since it is really well written, and very easy to follow. Many interesting facts about kids the age of Months-between 10-13 years of age. It’s also a good a good book because it tells you what and how much you should charge. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone! Old or young. “Don’t Sit On The Baby”. Funny title and cover, showing a person about to sit on an infant made me laugh. If you like reading about how to do stuff and have short not long chapters? I would hope you’d want to read this book because it’s right for you. There are many other books out there about babysitting, but I decided to chose this one. Why? It caught my attention from the cover, it looked very easy to read and very enjoyable. I was right to decide to chose this book, Go me :D. I actually loved reading this book. It was very informative and fun to read. I babysit my little brother (8 Years old), which is why I wanted to read this book. I only babysat my brother. I did take a Red Cross babysitting class, but I never got my card? But, I babysit my brother because he has no one else to watch him, and this book helps you out. Like it will tell you somethings that might shock you, make you laugh, cry, I don’t know. So what are you waiting for? Go and get the book now, you have time.. I hope. NOTE: I’m not responsible if you like this book or not, it’s your choice if you want to read it or not >> But I highly recommend reading it only if you’re a babysitter.
July 28, 2012
Summary: Babysitting is a hard but rewarding job for many teens. This little guide provides tips for finding jobs, real life stories from other teens, kid friendly recipes, quizzes and a guide for nearly every situation you can think of involving kids and parents.
Themes: Teen Non-fiction, careers, babysitting
Comments: There are many useful elements in the book that will help teens who want to babysit. There are guides for what to expect at each age group and what kids are like and what you will need to be responsible for. There are funny stories from real teens that give insight into the babysitting world. The author has included a CPR guide and a First Aid guide with numbers for the Red Cross and Poision Control. Finally she has added a Business basics chapter with how much to charge, resume tips and guides for talking with parents. This is a good starter guide for teens looking to start a babysitting business. It can't replace a class in CPR and First Aid but it's a good starting point.
Themes: Teen Non-fiction, careers, babysitting
Comments: There are many useful elements in the book that will help teens who want to babysit. There are guides for what to expect at each age group and what kids are like and what you will need to be responsible for. There are funny stories from real teens that give insight into the babysitting world. The author has included a CPR guide and a First Aid guide with numbers for the Red Cross and Poision Control. Finally she has added a Business basics chapter with how much to charge, resume tips and guides for talking with parents. This is a good starter guide for teens looking to start a babysitting business. It can't replace a class in CPR and First Aid but it's a good starting point.
April 5, 2013
This book provides rules and guidelines on how to babysit a child. It uses quizzes and tips to help take care of the baby. It teaches young teens how to feed and change a baby and even offers information on CPR and disciplining.
Samantha S. 12th grade
Samantha S. 12th grade
July 4, 2012
A great and simple guide. To the point and I would reccommend it to any babysitter or babysitter to be. Also, just a great read in itself.
June 27, 2013
Great read/gift for the young or new babysitter in your life!
September 23, 2022
I honestly requested this book because the title was funny. It's not usually my kind of book but it was kind of helpful. I'm a new parent and I did get some good tips on things from reading it. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy.
September 5, 2018
Very helpful and informational!
October 19, 2018
While it's targeted to teenaged babysitters, I would still recommend this book to anyone who deals with small children in any capacity.
July 22, 2019
Pretty simple, straight forward, great for teenagers!
May 30, 2020
Amazing for learning babysitting- Really helped me. It looks boring, but it's amazing
October 28, 2020
This is such a good book so glad that I read it. Was very informational
September 21, 2023
So helpful and hilarious!! Great for all my sitting jobs 😃
September 28, 2023
Great book, tons of info on babysitting! Would recommend to someone starting babysitting!
December 2, 2024
This would make a wonderful guide for someone just entering high school and looking to babysit. With a little humor, it has very thorough and helpful tips for various situations and ages.
July 22, 2025
really good for beginners. wish it had more tips for practiced sitters.
August 8, 2024
The book was mediocre. It states the obvious a lot and repeats itself, but on the plus side it is a short read and easy to understand. Even though it was made for older teens I recommend book for 10-15 year olds, more on the younger side.
July 23, 2022
I want to thank NetGalley for giving me a digital copy of “Don’t Sit on the Baby” to review.
As a professional nanny with years of babysitting experience under my belt, I have to say that my interest was piqued by the title. I’m not typically a big fan of non-fiction books, but I had to give this one a try. This book does a good job laying out the requirements of being a babysitter and setting clear expectations for both the sitter and those that need a sitter. The book is focused on pre-teens/young teenagers and emphasizes that school and extra-curriculars are more important than securing a babysitting job (very true!). The book includes babysitting stories from other teens sharing their experiences.
This book covers all the essentials from what to expect from different ages to caring for kids with disabilities. The author even recommends books by disabled authors!
Overall, I think this is a great book for 11-15 year olds who want to try out babysitting but don’t know where to start!
As a professional nanny with years of babysitting experience under my belt, I have to say that my interest was piqued by the title. I’m not typically a big fan of non-fiction books, but I had to give this one a try. This book does a good job laying out the requirements of being a babysitter and setting clear expectations for both the sitter and those that need a sitter. The book is focused on pre-teens/young teenagers and emphasizes that school and extra-curriculars are more important than securing a babysitting job (very true!). The book includes babysitting stories from other teens sharing their experiences.
This book covers all the essentials from what to expect from different ages to caring for kids with disabilities. The author even recommends books by disabled authors!
Overall, I think this is a great book for 11-15 year olds who want to try out babysitting but don’t know where to start!
September 15, 2012
This really opened my eyes on how babysitting really was.Before i read this the only rule i really knew was don't sit on the baby which any idiot SHOULD know.I doubt i wanna babysit now because kids are scarey!My little brother's a nightmare but with other people's kids i'll pass out.It s like everything sets them off.I can't stand the tantrums,the "having to take care of them" part of babysitting,and the fact that you have to pax taxes!Also who ever named it "babysitting" should be smacked upside his head!First of all who sits on babies????NASTINESS!And second,where's the "sitting" part?
October 11, 2020
This is a solid guide for teens who want to babysit. One thing that might have made this more useful is a guide to when to call the parents, because I think this is something most teens struggle to gauge.
June 22, 2022
I teach fifth grade so this book will resonate with so many of my students. I love the practical advice given in a youth friendly tone. There are recipes, game ideas, first aid tips, and more. Definitely thorough and well thought out.
Read
March 3, 2023This browsable guide covers all aspects of babysitting and all skill levels from new sitter to veteran. Expectations, business basics, emergencies, feeding, bedtime, not panicking and more are all covered. A list of resources is included at the end of the book to give you even more tips. #18
Want to read
February 19, 2016I won a copy from the publisher.
December 11, 2013
This book is a LIFESAVER. Literally!
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews