Don’t Sit on the Baby!, 2nd Edition: The Ultimate Guide to Sane, Skilled, and Safe Babysitting
Halley Bondy
Zest Books
Published September 6, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Don’t Sit on the Baby!

Babysitting is one of the most popular part-time jobs for teens, but caring for kids is no easy feat. Offering useful tips on everything from navigating naptime to negotiating pay rates, this funny, no-nonsense guide covers all the basics any babysitting hopeful needs to know and much more. This revised edition includes updated ideas for finding jobs, keeping kids–and yourself–safe, and handling behavioral challenges. Learn what to expect from kids ages 0 to 10, how to land (and keep) the perfect babysitting gig, what to do in situations ranging from dirty diapers to emergencies, and how to communicate with parents. Plus, read real-life stories from teens about their experiences on the job.

My Review

My favorite thing about this book is how practical it is. It’s broken down into specific sections about issues babysitters could face. Things like how to navigate mealtime with kids of different ages, and what to expect in terms of entertaining kids of varying ages. Many of the chapters are broken down into individual parts with information on caring for kids of specific ages, like infants, toddlers, preschoolers, etc.

The book also gives some basic tips for how to find babysitting jobs, what to do in an interview with a prospective client, and how to quit a job that isn’t working for you. I like that the book covers so many different topics and gives solid, foundational advice.

All in all, this is the kind of book I wish I’d had as a young babysitter. I learned a lot from caring for my youngest sister as well as on the job, but it would have been great to have a resource like this. I think this would make a great read for older siblings who are responsible to care for younger ones and for kids looking to get out there and make some money babysitting.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Aimed at any kids looking to babysit. Does mention asking parents about accommodations for kids with disabilities or allergies.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Offers safety tips for meeting with potential clients.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of DON’T SIT ON THE BABY! in exchange for my honest review.