My first job at the age of 13 was babysitting neighborhood children at the going rate of 50 cents.  My mother taught me to always take one of our childhood games with me and the kids loved it.  I was a hands-on babysitter playing house or ball for hours and hours.  I did have my share of challenges.  I once babysat for an infant that would not stop crying.  Finally in panic I had called my mother who was a block away.  She also tried, but was unsuccessful.  It turned out some time later that the baby was diagnosed as deaf.

Another time I babysat for three young boys.  I had to play with them, make them dinner, give them a bath and put them to bed.  It was a lot of work but I remember being very successful at this.  I was a little older by this time and their parents had a groovy album collection they let me listen to after the boys went to sleep.  They also gave me a nice tip at the end of the evening.  But they did stay out pretty late.  I wonder why?