Top 10 gifts for your Babysitter

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_gifts_for_your_teenage_babysitter.html

Top Ten Gifts for Your Teenage Babysitter
Don't Forget Your Babysitter During the Holidays
By Jamie Wilson
November 10, 2006



Almost a part of your family, your child’s babysitter is often ignored or forgotten about during the holidays. But this young person, important in the shaping of your child, will be thrilled if you remember them, even in a small way. Here are a few things that will make great gifts for that special teenager.

1. You can start with gift cards to Claire’s, Starbucks, or a trendy local hangout. Teenage girls today are all about the accessories or the being seen. Starbucks is a popular place for kids to go today, but if you don’t like the idea of all that coffee for a young person, consider a mall gift card; many malls today support the Simon gift card system or have their own. It might be tempting to just go ahead and buy them that accessory, but if you do, be sure to make sure it’s returnable. Teens are notoriously picky – remember?

2.Cash – always good. Let’s face it, your babysitter may love your kids, but she works for you in order to earn money. If she has a college fund, a check written to that is great. Or you can get her a prepaid Visa card, or just tuck some money inside a great card that tells her how important she is to you.

3.If you prefer more personal gifts, check her ears first for piercing and then give her really funky earrings, the bigger the better. Big dangly earrings, fashionable in the 80s, have been making a huge comeback. The ones that hang down to the shoulders are the ones that seem to be most popular right now. Watch for the clothes she prefers to wear, and try to match them, or find earrings that match her eyes.

4.Moon chairs – big round chairs on a foldable metal frame – or clear plastic inflatable furniture are really popular right now. You might also be able to find a great deal on beanbag furniture, which is gaining new popularity in the form of couches, divans, and even beds today. If you can’t find these at a local sporting goods store, look online.

5.Classy accessories are a wonderful gift for your teen babysitter. Consider a designer wallet or a leather CD case, for instance. Designer things – any designer will do – are perfect for teen girls to show off to their friends. (If you have one of these you want to regift, a teen will be thrilled to get it, and will never know the difference either.)

6.Homemade gift baskets are reasonably priced and great for teens. Buy a medium-sized basket and fill it with candy, snacks, cheese, crackers, summer sausage, or whatever you think your babysitter would like. You can even stick in gift cards for fast food, if you want to really thrill him or her. (Do not do this to a babysitter who’s on a perpetual diet!)

7.Gift certificates to music stores or to online music sites like iTunes or Napster will be a winner. (And no, she doesn’t have to own an iPod to use iTunes, just have a computer with a CD burner or an MP3 player.)

8.For that matter, MP3 players have come down enormously in price. You can buy a small one (one that holds around a hundred songs) for less than thirty dollars today. If you’re pretty musically savvy, a preloaded MP3 player can really send your babysitter over the moon.

9.Is your babysitter headed to college soon? Consider a messenger bag or a great backpack that has spots for everything – MP3/iPod, pens, cell phone, and handheld computer or laptop. If you don’t think that will work, call his or her mother and ask what they still need for college; she’ll have some great ideas.

10.And for teens of most stripes, items that yell “Cool!” at Think Geek, Sharper Image, or other similar technotrendy stores will work. Think flowers that dance to music, Clocky (an alarm clock that runs away so you can’t hit the snooze), or just about anything that uses neon or other lights for decoration, illumination, and/or information, and you’ll have a gift that won’t go wrong.

As a bonus, be certain to include pictures of the kids she babysits – never as the only gift, mind! Your child’s babysitter, if she’s any good, loves your kids and will love having this memento to show off and treasure in the future.Remember that teenagers are notoriously choosy, and always save the receipt just in case your babysitter wants to return or exchange the gift later. And don't be offended if she does!