Effects of having steady jobs at a young age for the sitters

[Amalia]

Do you think that having a steady job at such a young age altered them in any way? If so, how? How about having a peer as a boss?

[mallorypike]

I suppose having a regular job at a young age would shape them into more responsible adults. After all, babysitting is a big responsibility. Since they babysat at a ton, that would mold them not only into responsible teenagers but also responsible as adults.

[mistrali]

Yes, exactly. It'd teach them teamwork (that's if they hadn't been so cultlike in the later books), and generally how to deal with adults (if the adults hadn't been incompetent). And also budgeting, marketing and the like, as well as prioritising/time management.

[supprazz]

It'll teach them the skills mistrali mentioned already, but I think it could lead to potential emotional harm with overbearing bosses later on in life for different reasons for each member, female ones though I didn't want to single us out. Maybe it'll be an issue with balancing real life and work and working on not becoming a pushover and people pleaser at work the way Kristy wanted to some degree.

Mary Anne being singled out for doing something out of the ordinary

Claudia for pursuing her interests outside work for a little bit

Stacey for having non-work friends

Dawn for feeling competitive with her boss (possibly like how her and Kristy are close to Mary Anne) and wanting their attention

Mallory will become a pushover finding it hard to speak up about saying no

Jessi will be the quiet one who goes along with what she's feeling at the moment

Shannon will be a flexible worker that doesn't take differences too personally and moves on

Logan might feel inferior around female employees like they don't take him seriously

Abby will be a self-starter I think and most likely be self employed, maybe Shannon too in fact.

[maddieruns]

Ha, I can just see all the sitters listing Kristy Thomas as a reference or previous employer when applying for jobs.

[hannah26]

I wonder if any of them became nannies/daycare workers or even primary school teachers when they were older. They had so much experience with young kids already. I can see Kristy being a junior/elementary school sports teacher and Mary Anne perhaps a primary school teacher.

[CharlotteTJohanssen]

^ I can see almost all of the BSC doing something with kids.

[cnj]

Jan 31, 2014 0:44:27 GMT -5 mallorypike said:

I suppose having a regular job at a young age would shape them into more responsible adults. After all, babysitting is a big responsibility. Since they babysat at a ton, that would mold them not only into responsible teenagers but also responsible as adults.

Agreed! Which is why the fanfictions depicting BSC members as irresponsible or dependent are silly and OOC.

Jan 31, 2014 3:33:58 GMT -5 mistrali said:

Yes, exactly. It'd teach them teamwork (that's if they hadn't been so cultlike in the later books), and generally how to deal with adults (if the adults hadn't been incompetent). And also budgeting, marketing and the like, as well as prioritising/time management.

Mostly agreed, but I don't agree that they were "cultlike" and I don't think most of the adults were "incompetent."

Yes, the teamwork factor is great, which is why fanfics portraying the BSC all drifting apart, breaking up and abandoning each other is out of character also.

I see them having a lifelong friendship, even when going to different universities and living in different parts of of world as adults.

The BSC is a true legacy and their story is a truly a timeless, female-bonding, feminist coming-of-age epic that will remain relevant forever.

Jun 23, 2020 13:02:09 GMT -5 hannah26 said:

I wonder if any of them became nannies/daycare workers or even primary school teachers when they were older. They had so much experience with young kids already. I can see Kristy being a junior/elementary school sports teacher and Mary Anne perhaps a primary school teacher.

Me too...I see Mary Anne actually being a high school teacher or a youth psychologist in New York City as an adult.

Jun 23, 2020 21:21:26 GMT -5 CharlotteTJohanssen said:

I can see almost all of the BSC doing something with kids.

Me too. The BSC has served all of these young women very well.

If only more pre-teens and teens worldwide had clubs and groups like the BSC, it would be great.

Too many families and too many kids are often socially isolated.

And helicopter parents that are still around don't help matters either.