Saera H. Babysitter in Amherst, MA 01002. Looking for work as a babysitter or mother's helper.

My first brother was born when I was eight. I began learning to take care of him right away, and started babysitting him when I was about 10, and learned to manage additional children as my other brothers were born. At the age of 12, I started babysitting other children. I have provided care for children from infancy through 13 years. Most recently, I provided regular care to three girls, aged 3, 7, and 9. I looked after them for 6-10 hours a day, 2-3 days per week. I am comfortable with children of all ages, but I have the most fun with 6-10 year olds.

My babysitting philosophy is to maintain parents expectations and rules while promoting imagination, curiousity, and activity. I think it is critical for kids to have a mixture of structure and free time. It is important for parents to establish structure with babysitters or to support the babysitter's creation of structure. I actively engage with children, joining them in play, sports, art, and reading. I help with homework so that children are encouraged to try. Instead of giving away answers, I help them learn ways to think through the assignment. I enjoy taking kids on outings to their community: to the playground, to farmer's markets, swimming, walking, and bicycling. I particularly enjoy safe chasing, wrestling, and fort-building.

A few things about me: I recently graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Anthropology.  I spent last semester in India on a Sustainable Development and Social Change program. I love to read and learn about the world and my local community. I particularly enjoy reading about agriculture, food, history and the genres of historical fiction, science fiction, fantasy. Locally grown, fresh made food is a delight to me, and I have fun shopping for it. I just started volunteering for Habitat for Humanity and I practice Nichiren Buddhism with the Soka Gakkai International. Presently, I am developing the foundation for a non-profit organization to promote the development of Intentional communities. I speak beginner's Hindi. I also speak Spanish, which would be intermediate except that learning Hindi has jumbled it a bit.