Lately I have been babysitting a good amount. At first it felt a little weird, seeing that I never babysat while in college, but with the current economy and all, babysitting suddenly seems a lucky profession because it pays (not to mention the cute kids). Although, upon my new venture in the business I've had some thoughts:

Why is it easier to get a babysitting job them pretty much any other occupation? Why, in the field of childcare, is the pay alarmingly low (say below minimum wage, not to name any names)? Both these questions become haunting if the statement, "my kids are the most important thing to me is true." Take scenario 1:

"Hi, I'm Debbie, Lisa, Carrie's mom, said that you babysat once for her old neighbor Tommy, can you babysit for my kid?" Now to work at Cosco you have to go through an application process that makes you think you're joining a Fortune 500 company, but uh-ah, not to babysit. Ok, so sure there are the sitters who do require documents, but not in the through the grapevine knits. My concern is, when I'm a mom, I'll probably be the same way, but isn't it a little odd, seeing that your kids are your highest valuables?

Then the pay, personally, I think the pay should be astronomically high. Afterall, watching your prized children should never be seen as a small or insignificant task. There should be overtime, sick pay, insurance ... so maybe I'm going a little far. But seriously, don't you think of all professions this one should be among the upper echlons of serious?

But that's just me. Maybe I'm bias.