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In this episode, we journey through our babysitting adventures from both sides of the childcare equation. Remember when fifth graders could watch four kids including a 10-month-old baby? We were those fearless young sitters, navigating responsibilities far beyond our years without cell phones or emergency protocols – just a house phone and an address scribbled on a notepad.

Fast forward to today, where national babysitting rates hover around $25 per hour and parents expect a level of professionalism that would have been unimaginable in our early babysitting days. We share hilarious and sometimes terrifying stories from our years watching other people's children – from catching teenagers sneaking out to bars to traveling internationally with employer families as their dedicated childcare provider.

The conversation reveals universal truths about what makes exceptional childcare: the sitters who play enthusiastically instead of just supervising, who clean up messes instead of creating them, and who follow house rules while still making the experience special for the kids. We explore the creative childcare solutions that have emerged over the years, from in-home daycares that follow teacher schedules to school-based programs designed to retain talented educators.

Whether you're an exhausted parent desperate for a night out, a teenager looking to earn some spending money, or just someone who remembers the joy of having a babysitter who let you eat pizza in the living room (and then vacuumed the evidence before your parents got home), this episode celebrates the often under appreciated network of care that makes modern family life possible. What's your favorite babysitting memory? Share it with us – we'd love to hear your stories!

Mike Haggerty Buick GMC
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