PASSION FOREVER

  Kids are incredible little beings. Endlessly strange, honest, fun, surprising. They rule, OK? I don't have any children of my own and honestly, I don't know if I ever will. In the meantime, while life goes on (as it has the annoying tendency to do), I'm extra thankful for my role in four kids' lives as their aunt. Being an aunt offers the joy of spending time with children without any of the major obligations. It's one of the most win-win situations I can think of. Recall your own aunt(s). Aunts, as a people, have a special wizardry. They're the women who gladly accepted your first wayward attempt at cutting hair. They're the women who let you name their cats Hanson, Clarissa, or something else awful. The women who taught you to match your toenail polish with your underwear at a questionably young age. (Hi, Aunt Amy). They had an endless supply of sour gummy candies and never yelled at you for leaning back in your chair. They took you on adventures and ins...

  What is it that the best babysitters know? Best is not only a quality to describe what all parents hope their babysitter is! It is also a useful acronym to ensure that a babysitter knows a child's routine prior to being left to look after him or her. Before you as a parent leave your house and leave your kid under another person's care, you have to be sure to go over the fundamentals of your best list - bedtime, entertainment, snacks/meals, and toileting. Who else would be better at taking over your position of looking after your kids like your sister? Wouldn't your sister be the best in implementing all of your requirements for babysitting your children? I think the answer is quite clear, if you ask me.  When it comes to bedtime, your children's aunt would be sure to have been made aware of the rules you have laid out (e.g., no snacks past 8 PM). If you have a baby, the aunty should be aware of the importance of placing the infant on it's back when it sleeps, eve...