<p>I have been babysitting my cousin for two years because his mom had to make a living, but I don't know what should I put. I never recorded how many hours i spent with him. Sometimes my sister took care of him and sometimes I did, so hours I spent was kind of inconsistent. </p>
<p>Should I even mention it?</p>
<p>It sounds like something that was important to you... could you put it as employment and estimate the hrs/wk? Otherwise, you could always just put it in an essay...</p>
<p>I wouldn't really mention babysitting as an EC . . . It just shows desperation in my opinion.</p>
<p>I did not get pay though. I worked in my parent's restaurant most of the time and when I wasn't, I had to take care of him.</p>
<p>It's something I have done and spent time on though. Also, I couldn't play sports because of that and didn't have much time to do many other stuff that I would've done.</p>
<p>So it is not worth the time to put it it on there?</p>
<p>I would mention the babysitting since as you point out it prevented you from doing other EC's. I think it also shows a lot of good personal qualities such as generosity, helpfulness and responsibility. Could you possibly mention it in a section called something like "other information." It would sound more impressive if you could approximate the hours. You can always use the term estimated or approximated if you don't remember the hours exactly.</p>
<p>Do you think I should write about babysitting along with my work experience in the restaurant for my essay?</p>
<p>Choose whatever topic allows you to be personal, detailed, honest and revealing. But don't try to do too much in one essay.</p>
<p>OK thank you very much!</p>
<p>The MIT admission officer who was just in my town specifically mentioned baby-sitting as an important activity that you should mention in your application. </p>
<p>wow! thanks a lot, but do you know why it was mentioned? It sounded random asking that in middle of the event when I read the article.</p>
<p>thankyouall: many people are in life situations where they have to perform as caregivers for siblings or elderly in the home which precludes other ECs. You should definitely mention that it's a regular (and required) part of daily life for your family.</p>
<p>Can't really become the Football Team captain can you? Adcoms understand this and it won't be held against you.</p>
<p>I will put it on there! thank you !!!!</p>
<p>My daughter babysat for one family with two children from the time the kids were 2 and newborn until they moved away four years later for 2 to 10 hours at a time 4 to 8 times a month. She also sat for another family with four kids ages newborn to seven for two years, x to y times a month for a to be hours at a time.. She included this info on her applications as employment; it shows the same commitment as any job and demonstrates her trustworthiness and reliability (to have been kept on for as long as she was).</p>
<p>I think it was mentioned in the MIT meeting because students who know how to care for other people have the kind of resilience that MIT is looking for.</p>
<p>You can mention it in the "other"category. If there isn't such a category, mention it -- with an explanation in the EC category.</p>
<p>Where you put it isn't as important as making sure you include it in your app. What you're doing is important -- demonstrates a great deal of responsibility as well as compassion in that you're assisting your aunt in making a living.</p>
<p>Don't worry about not having some kind of "normal" EC. What you're doing stands out in an outstanding way.</p>
<p>I think it definitely counts. I've babysat for the same families for years and my GC says I should definitely include it, it shows commitment and responsibility. Suggestion, write "childcare" instead of "babysitting", it sounds a little more professional.:)</p>
<p>Babysitting sounds fine. "Childcare" sounds a bit pretentious since you're not a certified child care provider, and admissions officers know that.</p>
<p>Your experiences could be a good choice for an essay possibly focusing on your values (such as valuing education, family), career choices (if your experiences with your aunt's child have influenced those choices), or what the babysitting experiences have taught you about yourself or life in general.</p>