As a babysitter I go to the zoo a lot, I mean A LOT! It’s good though I always seem to learn new things. Five years ago, probably more, we were at the gorilla exhibit and commenting on the mommy gorilla with her child. Well, the zookeeper that happened to be right there told us that the caregiving gorilla wasn’t the mom but the nanny. The mom was in the corner eating bananas. The child and I looked at each other in awe.
Babysitters are needed everywhere it seems. A good babysitter or nanny is one that can be confused with parents themselves. I love it when someone sees me with one of my little charges and asks if I’m the mom or grandma (more accurate). I’ve even had some people say how cute my daughter or son is. I love that; 1) I’m feeling great that I’m doing such a good job, and 2) that my “offspring” is cute (which, self-centered, means to me that I’m cute. I’ll take a compliment where I can get it even if it’s my own interpretation). Of course, the number one reason above is the biggest compliment. It means I’m doing the job that every parent wishes all babysitters would do.
Sometimes, visually, it is obvious that you’re a babysitter but if the visual wasn’t there
no one should be able to tell that you’re the nanny or babysitter. A good babysitter/nanny is in a word: “love”.
