This story is for all of those teens out there worried about their first time babysitting job. You should not worry because nothing can be worse than mine. Having just finished my babysitting course, I was completely prepared for the worst situation possible, so I thought. My close neighbors needed a babysitter on a Saturday night. They wouldn’t be out for too long, knowing that it was my first real babysitting job. I was already close with the three kids; Matt, who was four, Allie, who was two, and Luke, who was almost one. The parents warned me about Matt’s asthma, but said it had not acted up lately so I should be fine. Finally, the time had come. It was seven o’clock at night and I was on my way to their house. It was a quick walk, since we lived right across the street from them. Remembering everything I learned about situations that would “rarely happen” in my babysitting course, I wasn’t as nervous to go. I rang the doorbell and was greeted by the parents. They showed me the kitchen, the kid’s rooms and all the emergency contact numbers I would need just in case. Then, they headed out the door and it was just me.

I sat on the coach and started doing my homework, since all the kids were already sleeping. About an hour had passed, and Luke, the baby, started to cry. I went upstairs and picked him up. He stopped crying as I swayed him back and forth in my arms. Since I was upstairs, I decided to check on the other two kids. I walked into their room, and Matt was sitting upright. When he didn’t respond after I asked if he was okay, I got worried. I remembered his asthma problems, so I questioned him if he could breathe. Again, he didn’t respond and I could tell by the look of terror on his face that he was not okay. I sprinted to the Luke’s room to put him down in his crib, and then ran back to Matt’s room. I picked him up and ran as fast as I could down the stairs. Quickly grabbing the phone, I put Matt on the ground and called my house. People have questioned me about why I called my house before 911, but we were neighbors and my mom would be able to help. However, I strongly suggest if you are ever in this situation to call 911 first. After quickly telling my Mom that Matt can’t breathe then hanging up on her, I called 911. I told the operator what was happening, but then they started asking me questions that I was too panicked to answer. I was trying to stay calm, but in the moment it is hard to when you are responsible for someone else’s life. Luckily, my mom rushed through the door and took the phone from me. She put Matt in her lap and comforted him, while talking to the 911 operator. I went upstairs to check on Allie and Luke, but somehow, they slept through the whole dilemma. When I came back down, Matt was calm, and fast asleep on my Mom’s lap. The ambulance arrived with many paramedics. As Matt slept on the coach, they took his oxygen level and some other tests. I felt so relieved that Matt was okay, but very overwhelmed. My dad had called the parents, so they arrived home early. When everything was back to normal, I walked over to my house. I had not shed a tear throughout the whole night, but when I got home I said to my mom, “Can I cry now?” She nodded and I began sobbing. I was twelve at the time, so I guess this was acceptable. As this was happening, the mom came over to thank me, and we all ended up crying and hugging each other. Today, I still continue to babysit these three kids, and I always look forward to going. So, if you are ever thinking that your first babysitting job will be a disaster just remember reading this story of mine.