Babysitting

earning money · responsibility · growing up · helping families

Caring for kids. Babysitting means looking after children while their parents are away for a few hours or the evening. You might help them play, eat snacks, get ready for bed, or just make sure they're safe and happy.

Getting paid. Babysitters earn money for their work, which is why it's one of the first jobs many teenagers take on. Even younger kids can babysit for neighbors or family friends to earn their own spending money.

Started in the 1920s. Babysitting became a real thing during the 1920s and became super popular in the 1950s and 1960s when many families moved to suburbs and needed help with their kids.

Grew with families. After World War II, lots of families had babies at the same time (called the Baby Boom), so suddenly suburbs had tons of young children and not enough family members nearby to help care for them.

Pop culture fame. Babysitting was so interesting that it inspired horror movies, books, and urban legends that made the job seem exciting and mysterious.