Babysitting - Effective Birth Control

(You know, being a parent is actually a lot harder than it looks)

Have you ever had to stay home and watch your younger sister or brother? What about canceling your weekend plans because you had to babysit and earn some money?

I often babysat during middle and high school, both for money and for my brothers and sisters. At the end of the night though it was always such a comfort to know I could give the child (or children) back to their parents and return to my teenage life.

However, some teens today are being forced to skip adolescence altogether and are instead being launched into adulthood with all the ensuing responsibilities. Feeding, diapers, cost of formula, strollers, car seats, not to mention doctor visits and lack of sleep and social life.

Sound like fun? Nope. That's because being a parent is not a picnic - it is hard work - yet it has its rewards. But parenting for adults comes in the safety and support of a loving marriage, where both husband and wife can share the responsibilities of the child.

Too often teens are single parents or parents whose juvenile relationship is on the rocks with the stress that a child always brings.

So when you’re babysitting next, do this for me. Think hard about what life would be like if you can't give the child back at the end of the night.

Is it a life that you want for yourself one day - I hope so. But when you're ready. When you're married. When you've prepared a home of love for the child to grow up in.

Is it a life that you want for yourself TODAY? That's only a question that you can answer.