Why Every ’80s Girl Wanted to Be a Babysitter

When independence, Oreos, and The Babysitters Club made you feel like the boss of your own mini-empire.

Before side hustles were trendy and the gig economy became a thing, there was babysitting—the ultimate ’80s dream job for every teenage girl. In an era of neon scrunchies, roller rinks, and Dynasty reruns, babysitting wasn’t just about earning a few bucks; it was a rite of passage, a glimpse into adulthood, and a chance to assert your independence (even if it was while covered in spaghetti sauce and sticky Cheerios).

For Gen X girls, babysitting was more than a job—it was an identity. You weren’t just someone’s kid anymore; you were responsible. And, if you played your cards right, you were cool, too. Let’s take a trip back to the days when your life revolved around babysitting gigs, and every girl secretly wanted to be Kristy Thomas from The Babysitters Club.

The Babysitting Dream: Independence, Cash, and Power

In the ’80s, babysitting wasn’t just a gig; it was your ticket to freedom. No longer were you stuck begging your parents for allowance money or hoping Grandma slipped a five-dollar bill into your birthday card. Babysitting meant you were in charge of your finances (and by finances, we mean splurging on Wet ‘n’ Wild nail polish and the latest Duran Duran cassette).

And let’s not underestimate the thrill of being left in charge of an actual house. Sure, it was technically “just until the Johnsons got back from their dinner date,” but for a few glorious hours, you were the queen of the castle. You controlled the TV, the snacks, and, most importantly, the kids. Well, sort of.

The Tools of the Trade: A Babysitter’s Survival Kit

Every ’80s babysitter had her essentials—a carefully curated arsenal of tools to ensure success:

1. The Babysitting Bag: Usually an old tote from a family vacation, this bag was filled with coloring books, board games, and random toys you scavenged from your younger sibling’s room.
2. Snacks (for You): While you technically weren’t supposed to eat the family’s Oreos, you figured one or two (or ten) wouldn’t be missed.
3. Snacks (for Them): Usually bribery in the form of goldfish crackers or fruit snacks.
4. The Book: A trusty paperback copy of The Babysitters Club, which you brought just in case the kids fell asleep early and you had time to imagine yourself as Stacey McGill.
5. Emergency Numbers: Scrawled on the back of a napkin in your mom’s handwriting. Spoiler: you never used them.

This kit was your lifeline, helping you survive everything from toddler tantrums to awkward conversations with the parents when they got home late (and tipsy).

The Training: Lessons in Chaos Management

Most of us didn’t have formal training—there were no online courses or certifications. Our training came from two sources: watching younger siblings and devouring The Babysitters Club series like it was holy scripture.

The books taught us everything we needed to know:

• Be like Kristy: Take charge and make a schedule.
• Be like Mary Anne: Be sweet and sensitive, even when Tommy refuses to eat his vegetables.
• Be like Claudia: Wear cool outfits and wow the kids with your art skills.
• Be like Stacey: Always be prepared for emergencies, like running out of cookies.

These lessons were more valuable than any official manual. And if you didn’t have younger siblings to practice on, you winged it. After all, how hard could babysitting really be?

The Kids: Adorable… and Occasionally Terrifying

The kids you babysat came in all shapes, sizes, and temperaments. There was the angelic toddler who melted your heart when they called you “the best babysitter ever,” and then there was the pint-sized tornado who thought “bedtime” was a suggestion.

You developed strategies to deal with every type:

• The Crier: Distract them with cartoons and pray their parents get home soon.
• The Escapist: Put chairs in front of the doors and count your blessings if they fall asleep.
• The Know-It-All: Let them “help” you microwave dinner; it keeps them busy.

No matter how challenging they were, you secretly loved them. (Except for the one who hid your shoes. That kid was pure evil.)

The Perks: Junk Food and Free TV

Let’s be honest: one of the best parts of babysitting was the perks. First, there was the food. Parents always stocked the pantry with chips, cookies, and other forbidden treats, and as long as you didn’t eat the last slice of cake, they’d never notice.

Then there was the TV. Babysitting was your chance to binge-watch MTV, VH1, or whatever grown-up show your parents wouldn’t let you see at home (Moonlighting, anyone?). If you were lucky, the family had cable and a VCR, and you’d discover a treasure trove of movies to keep you entertained once the kids were in bed.

The Drama: Babysitting Gone Wrong

Of course, not every babysitting gig was smooth sailing. There was always the chance of babysitting drama—the kind of chaos that left you questioning your life choices.

• The time the toddler refused to eat anything but ketchup. Straight ketchup.
• The time you accidentally broke a lamp and spent 30 minutes trying to glue it back together.
• The time the family dog escaped, and you spent half the evening chasing it around the neighborhood.

But no matter how bad it got, you survived. And by the time the parents came home, you had a story to tell your friends the next day—preferably over a shared can of Tab.

The Babysitting Payoff: Cash and Clout

Babysitting wasn’t just a job; it was a social currency. Being a sought-after babysitter meant you were reliable, responsible, and just cool enough for parents to trust you with their kids.

The money was great, too. Sure, it wasn’t much—maybe $3 an hour if you were lucky—but it felt like a fortune. You carefully stashed it in your jellybean-shaped coin purse, saving up for something special, like Guess jeans or tickets to see Madonna in concert.

The best part? Babysitting made you feel grown-up. You weren’t just a kid anymore—you were earning your own money, managing tiny humans, and making it all look easy (well, mostly).

The Babysitters Club Effect: Fiction Meets Reality

We can’t talk about ’80s babysitting without mentioning The Babysitters Club. Ann M. Martin’s beloved series wasn’t just a collection of books—it was a cultural phenomenon.

Every ’80s girl wanted to be part of a babysitting club. The idea of getting together with your best friends, sharing tips and stories, and running a thriving business was pure genius. The books made babysitting seem glamorous, even when you knew it was mostly boogers and bedtime battles.

For a while, you even considered starting your own babysitting club—until you realized your only client would be your neighbor’s cat.

Why Babysitting Still Matters

Looking back, babysitting taught us more than how to warm up chicken nuggets or entertain a toddler for three hours. It taught us responsibility, problem-solving, and how to think on our feet.

It also gave us confidence. Babysitting showed us that we were capable of handling challenges, whether it was calming a crying baby or convincing a stubborn five-year-old that yes, they did need to brush their teeth.

And maybe most importantly, babysitting gave us a taste of independence. It was our first step into the grown-up world, complete with paychecks, responsibilities, and all the Oreos we could sneak.

Babysitting Forever: The Legacy Lives On

For every ’80s girl who spent her weekends babysitting, those experiences are part of who we are today. We may have traded our babysitting bags for purses and our Babysitters Club books for Kindles, but the lessons we learned are still with us.

So here’s to babysitting—the messy, chaotic, rewarding job that shaped a generation of ’80s girls into the strong, capable women we are today. And if you ever find yourself eating Oreos straight out of the bag or bribing someone with fruit snacks, don’t worry—it’s muscle memory.

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