Kate R. › SmartSitting

Family Application

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Growing up as an only child, there was nothing I wanted more than to know what it was like to have siblings. Because of this I’ve been babysitting since the age of 11, when I probably should have had a sitter myself, and have been doing so ever since. There isn’t an age group or sibling combination I haven’t happily worked with in my 11 years of babysitting. I’ve enjoyed the trust and relationships that I’ve built with the families I’ve worked for consistently and hope to find a family with whom I can do the same.

Originally from Florida, I grew up attending a small private school on the East Coast. I spent a good deal of time traveling and living internationally with my family, but spent many of my summers working as a counselor at my school’s summer camp. In addition to this, I provided daily after school care for a girl six years younger than myself and babysit every weekend. After high school I attended Wake Forest University, where I continued to babysit regularly for three families, providing after school care, tutoring and weekend needs.

I currently intern in fashion at Ports 1961, and also write part-time for FoxSports as a college football recruitment reporter. My hobbies include writing, travel, photography, cooking, yoga and a generally healthy lifestyle. .

Education

Wake Forest University, graduated 2011.

B.A. in Communication with Media Studies Concentration; minor in Anthropology
Member, LEAD (Leadership excellence and development)
Member, Chi Omega fraternity
Member, Association for Women in Sports Media

Childcare experience:

4 years, after-school sitter
4 years, evening and weekend sitter
5 years, camp counselor
2 years, after-school tutor
6 years, kindergarten volunteer
8 years, weekend sitter

Availability:

Monday-Friday: 4 pm-midnight
Tuesday-Wednesday: 8 am-midnight
Weekday hours/days flexible due to internship
Also available for weekend sitting.

Long-term availability:

Available for nights/weekends until October 2012

I will be SmartSitting while...

Interning in fashion at Ports 1961 and continuing my freelance writing job as a sports reporter.

My childcare expertise lies in working with…

Comfortable and have experience with all ages, but greatest depth of experience lies in 4-10 year olds.

Activities and skills I love to teach and share with children:

Reading and writing skills (for those college essays..), French, photography, singing, cooking, sports such as basketball, soccer and lacrosse.

Most memorable childcare experience:

I babysat for a little girl named Katy from the time she was 11 until she could drive herself around at the age of 17. I brought her home from school every afternoon when she reached middle school and spent time with her on the weekends. I watched Katy experience everything from her first day of middle school to 3 months in rehab for an eating disorder she developed as a teenager. We would go to doctors appointments, lunches, walks on the beach and movies together where she would share with me things I knew she hadn't shared with her parents. Though there was a period of time when I was questioning the strength of my mentoring ability, after helping her tour college campuses this past year I know she's going to be exceptional, and I can only hope I played some role in that.

Before leaving for New York we went out to dinner to say goodbye, and she thanked me for always being there for her and being a real sister; something neither of us ever had, and something I'll never forget.