Childcare Provider Address: Various Phone: Various Employee: February 2014-present In the spring semester of my sophomore year in high school, I was asked to babysit a family of two children that live about three miles from my childhood home. The parents both worked full time and often late hours (until 9 or 10 p.m.), so they were searching for a responsible, kind, and caring nanny who could love their children as their own. Living in a small town where everyone knows everyone, my name was going around that I could meet these needs. Although I had never babysat in my life, they were willing to give me a chance. Throughout high school, I babysat these two kids (who are now six and eight) about three-four times a week. I am still caring for this family today when I come home for breaks, so needless to say it has gone very well. I have adapted the mentality of being a "parent" and truly enjoy being a second mother to these wonderful children. I have also held several other babysitting jobs throughout the years, caring and providing for six different families sporadically. There have been great and terrible experiences, but I have learned to embrace the uniqueness of each child, for it is what makes them so special and lovable. I am extremely grateful for my childcare provider opportunities and will likely continue this job until I have my own children.
Lifeguard and Water Safety Instructor Address: 410 E 2nd Avenue, Avon, South Dakota, 57315 Phone: 605-286-3818 Employee: June 2013-August 2015 (seasonal) Ever since I was young child, I loved the water and spending time at the pool with my friends. This continued to stay true as I grew older, for I joined the local swim team at the age of six and eventually became a certified lifeguard at the age of fourteen. The following summer after earning my certification in lifeguarding, I became a licensed swimming lessons teacher (water safety instructor) and gave both public and private lessons. My life during the summer was spent at the pool, and I could not complain because I loved what I was doing. Besides working the usual pool hours, I was in charge of cleaning the pool once a week (a 3-5 hour task) and ensuring the pool maintained appropriate pH and chlorine levels. Swimming lessons were quite fun and entertaining, but required intensive planning and creativity. I was able to experience giving lessons to both an autistic child and a deaf child, which helped strength my patience and perseverance traits. Overall, I have to say these young children taught me more than I could have ever taught them. Although I had to step back from my position due to commitment of online school classes, I am beyond pleased in how I have grown as an individual because of the responsibilities and numerous experiences as a lifeguard and swimming lessons instructor.