Storytime: Babysitting for 50 cents an hour

My older sisters were movers and shakers before I even knew what that was.

Living in a small town is what you make of it, so my teenage sisters and their friends created an organization called Teenager’s Association of Centralia.

TAC for short.

This group hosted Teen Town, convincing City Hall to open the community room after football games, and once a month for a dance with local bands. TAC had committees to plan and arrange different events and different services that would support the youth in our town.

Teenage movers and shakers.

My sisters were consistently being asked to babysit. Sherry and Sandy were used to watching over me and my younger brothers, but if they babysat for others, they were paid 50 cents an hour.

Fifty cents!

With that thought, a meeting of TAC was called, and any teenager who wanted to make money was asked to raise their hand.

All hands went up.

The next day, two posterboards were purchased, and plans put into place. The boys were in charge of the chart that scheduled chores like mowing and weeding, while my sister Sherry was in charge of a babysitting calendar with the names and numbers of more than a dozen teenage girls, all who took a class on babysitting.

They were certified and ready.

Every time a call came in, the calendar board was pulled from underneath our couch, which happened to be the handiest location to the wall phone. Almost every night, a babysitter was booked.

Business was booming.

These working teens would be gone eight to 10 hours on a Saturday, babysitting for a house of unruly children whose parents went to a Tiger football game. My sisters would leave in the morning, feed and placate the children, then come home after dark with five dollars in their pocket.

Five whole dollars.

It wasn’t long before the teenagers in town became complacent. They stopped coming to Teen Town because there were other places to be. Their parents probably thought that’s where they were, but small towns are full of country roads, house parties, and places that don’t have chaperones. When school started, the TAC teens were now too busy to mow or weed or even babysit.

They had stuff to do.

Recently on social media, I read an advertisement from a young family looking for a babysitter. The potential candidate must be 25 years old, have a master’s degree, own a car, be available on the weekends, and agree to be fingerprinted.

The ad reminded me of my sisters and the good they put in and the difference they made in a small town. Still, time goes by, situations change, and people do too. Between sports, church and organizations, teens are overly organized and no longer have the time or feel the need to be entertained.

They have their phones for that.

I think about my own children and the babysitters who put up with them along the way. Teens who taught my kids bleacher songs, dance moves, and how to fix their hair. They played ball in the yard, rode bikes to the park, and kept the junk food at a minimum. My kids went to the pool, to the movies, and to the grocery store under the supervision of underage teenagers with no credentials.

They just liked my kids.

The world is different than it was when Teen Town was full and hiring babysitters was easy. These days, choosing a sitter is much more than a chart under a couch, and taking care of kids is not for everyone who raises their hands. For whatever reason, there is a shortage of childcare providers and parents are feeling that loss.

The world needs those young at heart who sing silly songs, kiss boo-boos, and tuck our babies in for naps. We need bedtime storytellers, night light guardians, and someone our children can run to.

Where did all the babysitters go?

You can reach Lorry at lorrysstorys@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Storytime: Babysitting for 50 cents an hour