[KSUViolet06]

I'm a recent college grad who is going back to school this fall. I have a "grown up" job, but I babysit for extra money.

Every once in awhile I get a new family via someone referring them to me, but I really only have one family that I regularly work for.

The little girl is Katie. Mom pays me $15.00/hour but that's because she is a very time consuming little girl. Ladies and gents, Katie is a child beauty queen (i.e. yes one of THOSE little girls) .

Mom is a wedding planner and single mom. She has to be gone most of the afternoon/evening with clients and vendors. So I have to take care of Katie from the time she gets home from school to the time her mom comes in at 8 or sometimes 9. I get $5 extra per hour anytime I have to stay overnight (when she is working on a wedding that's too far for her to drive back and forth).

My day with Katie starts with getting her off of the bus, then making her a snack. After that I have to make sure she does any homework she might have.

*I have to make sure that she practices her talent song at least 3 times. This gets hard because she is 5, and doesn't always feel like it.

*After that, her modeling coach comes and she has an hour of modeling lessons. After modeling, she can watch no more than one hour of TV.

*After TV, mommy will usually call & make sure she practiced and did her homework. She will tell me of any phone calls I need to make concerning pageants. For example, if I need to call the tanning salon to make her spray tanning appt OR the hair salon to switch her hair appt. I usually let Katie play upstairs while I make phonecalls.

*I usually start dinner around 6ish or order delivery. I have to be mindful of what I cook or order because Katie doesn't eat meat.

*After dinner, it's bath time. Then I have to make sure that Katie's hair is washed and rolled so it looks "wavy and cute for school."

*After I get through with her hair, it's about 8 or so. It's bedtime at 8:15!

*Once she goes to bed, I pick out her clothes for school and iron them if they need it. By then, it's 9 and mommy's home and I made $90.

It's a LONG day, especially if I have to work earlier. Also I have babysat on days where she has a pageant coming up and those are even worse. Those days include:

*After homework, the seamstress comes over to drop off her $1500 dress and she has to try it on. I have to check the dress for loose or missing sequins and call her back if there are any.

*The hairstylist comes to do a "test run" of her hair. That's the worst because while I'm trying to make dinner I have to listen to her say "owwwwww" the whole time.

*After the hair is done, she has to practice her talent in FULL costume.

*Then it's dinnertime. Mom says no carbs before a pageant, but I refuse to tell a 5 yr old that she can't have Pizza Hut so I cheat.

*After dinner, it's bedtime (at 7:15). Then I have to make sure her things are packed to go to the pageant tomorrow morning because Mommy won't feel like packing when she gets home. This includes packing all 4 outfits, her make up, toiletries, and toys.