Like many college students, I babysat weekly in Tallahassee while attending Florida State University to make extra money, usually to spend at the bar. Once a week, I would prepare for my day of “motherhood,” as I called it (haha, what a silly college girl I was!).
It was a breeze- feed the kids, put them down for a nap, play outside, hug them goodbye. I remember stupidly judging the parents’ home as it was always in disarray.
What I never realized was what a godsend babysitters are to parents needing help to maintain their sanity.
Years later, now, as a mother, I’ve been through the whole gamut with babysitters. Thankfully, our search was much easier than some friends of mine. But still, I’ve experienced the desperate search for help, within a reasonable budget, searching through Care.com profiles like a dating site, the telephone calls, and texts, then meeting the potential sitter to make sure they were a match for our family.
Somehow, we were blessed with our babysitter, Kaitlin. She and her husband were moving to Pensacola for her husband to attend flight school, and I’m so thankful I ran across her profile on Care.com before their move here.
The day we met her, my children fell in love, and so did I. I was finally able to take a breather with three kids under two years old. She came into our lives when Blaire was just five months old.
But, what I never thought about was that she would become a part of our family. And at some point, we would have to say goodbye.
The last day she was with us, I gave her this letter.
“Dearest Kaitlin,
How do I begin to tell you goodbye when I’ve seen you love my children the way you do?
You love them the way we do.
You know their quirks, their triggers, what soothes their booboos, what eases their sorrows.
You know their “hurt” cry from a fake cry for attention.
You know when they are getting sick.
You know how to cure a mean diaper rash with one of my 9,000 crazy mixtures.
You’ve wiped countless bottoms and cleaned up countless accidents during the potty training days.
You’ve even wiped vomit from my daughter’s hair and bathed her after.
You’ve forgiven me for my constantly disastrous, messy house, and that means more than you’ll ever know.
I’ve seen you rock my baby to sleep the same way I do.
I hear your “I love yous” in passing.
And I hear the “I love yous” back even louder.
My children love you.
We love you.
In the beginning, you saved my sanity.
Somedays while you were here, I napped after a long night up with a baby.
Somedays, I just sat and enjoyed the silence with a cup of coffee in hand.
But, every day, I knew my children were in trusted hands, and I knew you would be able to care for them just as I would if something happened.
One day, when you have children, I hope you look back and realize what a blessing you were to our family.
From your first day to your last, you have left an impression on us and our hearts that we will never forget.
You’ve helped transition my children through a critical period of life during a very unusual time (2020).
Together, we have been through quarantines, tummy bugs, potty training, illness, longer-than-usual vacations due to Covid, birthdays, celebrations, and now, new beginnings for you.
Though you may never realize, you’ve saved my life many days.
You have become our family.
You will always be a part of our family.
So, how do I say goodbye to a member of my family?
I don’t.
I’ll hold back the tears, hug the girls tightly, and send you off with a big goodbye wave and a ‘see you soon.’
Thank you for everything you’ve done for our family.
We love you.”

As I write this, our new babysitter, also here with her husband in flight school, is surrounded by giggling girls who want to sit in her lap and play. Kaitlin is a part of our prayers every night, and we know we will see her again someday.
Thankfully, the girls have already fallen in love with our new babysitter, and I’m thanking our lucky stars for another successful search.