Occupation: BABYSITTER

BABYSITTER

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HELPFUL TIP:

There’s probably a good reason why your character chose their career. Think about how certain talents and skills, a dominant positive or negative trait, or even an emotional wound might have influenced this decision. And once they're on the job, don't forget about the many work-related conflict scenarios you can throw at them to create tension and add complications.

A babysitter will watch over children while their parents are away from the home, ensuring the children are safe, cared for, and that they follow the rules of the household. Children may be awake or asleep during the time the babysitter is in the home, which will dictate what sort of activities a sitter will engage in. Typically a sitter will play with the kids while they are awake (playing games, watching movies, taking the kids to a local park, etc.) as well as prepare easy meals, read stories, and get the children ready for bedtime. Occasionally they may be asked to perform a few menial chores (washing the dinner dishes or straightening up a playroom after the children go to bed). Babysitting is typically done by responsible teenagers or those of college age to supplement other income such as an allowance or a part time job.

This type of work can be done without any training or certification, although there are programs available that teach youth their responsibilities when babysitting and to guide them in a series of possible situations to help them problem-solve and know what to do in emergencies. Many parents insist their sitter does have a babysitting course under their belt and be a specific minimum age to mind their children. Most provinces or states will also have a legal age for babysitting (or at least provide guidelines for when a child can be left without parental supervision, which may also have a limitation on the span of evening hours alone). Typically parents will interview a potential babysitter and get a feel for who they are, their experience, their attitude toward kids, and whether they have completed a babysitting course or have any first aid training before hiring. Depending on location and availability, some parents may struggle to find a sitter and so may need to offer greater financial incentives to obtain someone to watch over their kids, or they may engage a retired neighbor into child-minding.

BABYSITTER

HELPFUL TIP:

OVERVIEW:

NECESSARY TRAINING:

USEFUL SKILLS, TALENTS, OR ABILITIES:

HELPFUL POSITIVE TRAITS:

HELPFUL NEGATIVE TRAITS:

EMOTIONAL WOUNDS THAT MAY HAVE FACTORED INTO THIS OCCUPATION CHOICE:

SOURCES OF FRICTION:

PEOPLE THEY MIGHT INTERACT WITH:

HOW THIS OCCUPATION MIGHT IMPACT ONE'S BASIC NEEDS:

COMMON WORK-RELATED SETTINGS:

TWISTING THE STEREOTYPE:

REASONS THE CHARACTER MAY HAVE BEEN DRAWN TO THIS PROFESSION: