Are You Available to Sit on Our Child This Saturday?

I make enough money at my full-time gig to cover the essentials; essentials being the roof over my head, the food in my cupboards, the toilet paper in the bathroom, my student loan debt, SEPTA tokens and retirement funds. Oh, and my health insurance premiums, of course. And that's about all that check covers, folks. What is my temporary solution to this money problem? Instead of attending a happy hour and socializing with other 20-somethings on Friday evenings, I babysit. That's what I'm doing right now on this fine summer night.

Originally, this side venture provided just enough cash flow for my growing grilled panini habit. Plus, while the changing diaper part ain't so fun, I truly enjoyed playing with babies and toddlers. But then I packed my calendar to the point where I would leave my apartment in the morning, spend all day in the office, go directly to feed one of my kids their dinners, give them their evening baths, bottles and tuck them into bed. I'd clean up, the parents would return and I'd finally make it back home only to collapse into bed after falling asleep in the shower. And then it occurred to me that I was working 12-hour days five or six days a week. Moreover, I was changing way too many diapers for someone without her very own kid. As I fell more and more in love with my baby charges, I slowly got burnt out.

While I am thankful for the fruits of my labor, especially my apartment and my trip to San Francisco last year, I would prefer not to have to rely on babysitting income. Sitting can get crazy stressful. Like right now, the three and half year old is still yammering and singing to herself instead of sleeping. She's been in her crib for an hour and a half already. That's ninety minutes, for goodness sake. I am actually nervous that her parents will come home and ask me why the frick their child isn't sleeping yet.

So, you ask me, "Will I sit on your kid this weekend?" Damned skippy I will - but only because I need to pay for that addictive panini sandwich to relieve the stress from doting on your precious child for three hours after working a full work day catering to the needs of Ivy Leaguers.