- Note: This article is about the club. For the original book series, see: The Baby-Sitters Club.
The Baby-Sitters Club is a child care service in which The Baby-Sitters Club book series focuses on.
History
Kristy got the idea for the Baby-sitters Club on the first Tuesday afternoon of seventh grade (Kristy's Great Idea). Elizabeth was making many calls looking for the sitter. Kristy then had one of her great ideas, possibly her greatest ever. Kristy almost choked on her pizza. Elizabeth could save time if she could call one number and reach many reliable baby sitters at once Then parents wouldn't have to go through what Elizabeth went through at dinner, calling everyone in town. Kristy then started The Baby-sitters Club.
The first meeting was held on the Friday a week and a half after the initial idea. Claudia Kishi was the first to pick up the phone at their first meeting before handing the phone to Kristy. It was her mom looking for someone to sit for David Michael Thomas.
The first club members were Kristy Thomas as president, Claudia Kishi as Vice President, Mary Anne Spier as Secretary, and Stacey McGill as Treasurer. Claudia had nominated Kristy for president and everyone else agreed. Kristy had nominated Claudia to be vice president. Mary Anne and Stacey ended up sorting out their positions between themselves.
The club needed help because they were so busy. Dawn Schafer joined the club in Mary Anne Saves the Day. Dawn got the position as alternate officer. In Logan Likes Mary Anne, the Baby-sitters Club got their first Associate Member, Logan Bruno. In Kristy and the Snobs, Shannon Kilbourne joined as an associate member. Stacey McGill, club treasurer, had to move in Good-bye Stacey, Good-bye. So, while Stacey was gone in books #14 to #27, Dawn took Stacey's job as treasurer. Mallory Pike and Jessi Ramsey joined in Hello, Mallory. They were two years younger so they couldn't take nighttime baby sitting jobs and became junior officers. Dawn goes back to being Alternate Officer when Stacey comes back in Welcome Back, Stacey!
In Dawn's Big Move, Dawn gets homesick for her family in California and moves back for six months. In the meantime, Shannon took her place as Alternate Officer until Dawn returned. Mallory gets mononucleosis in Get Well Soon, Mallory and has to quit the club temporarily. Mallory gets better sometime before Mallory Pike, No. 1 Fan. Stacey begins to think her friends are babyish in Stacey and the Cheerleaders. In Stacey vs. the BSC, Stacey thinks that her new 'friends' in the popular crowd are cooler than the Baby-sitters Club and quits the club. Stacey later rejoins the club when she figures out her real friends are in the club in Stacey and the Bad Girls. Dawn comes back in Kristy and Mr. Mom, but then leaves permanently in Farewell, Dawn.
Abby Stevenson joins the club in Welcome to the BSC, Abby. Abby replaces Dawn as Alternate Officer. The club briefly dissolved in Kristy's Worst Idea but back together by the end. They break up again and only the original four remain after the events of Everything Changes.
The club advertises via newspaper ads, flyers, and word of mouth. In order to get a hold of the Baby-sitters Club during its regular meeting hours, clients call Claudia's private phone number at KL5-3231. Parents were bound to find a baby sitter because with four members, someone was free.
Events
Throughout the series, the BSC hosts a myriad of events and parties to entertain children. This is a comprehensive list of the events and what book they are from. These events include:
Events Participated In:
- Booth at Heritage Day in Mary Anne and the Secret in the Attic
- Booth at Stoneybrook Health Fair in Logan's Story
- Booth at the art fair in Welcome to the BSC, Abby!
- Float in Stoneybrook Baby Parade in Kristy and the Baby Parade.
- Float in the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Claudia and the Terrible Truth
Created Events:
- Wedding Playgroup (Kristy's Big Day)
- Playgroup (Claudia and Mean Janine)
- Stacey's Good-Bye Party (Good-bye Stacey, Good-bye)
- Trip to Sudsy's Carnival (Kristy and the Mother's Day Surprise
- Art Classes (Claudia and the Sad Good-bye)
- Derek Masters good-bye party (Jessi and the Superbrat)
- Pet Show (Jessi and the Dance School Phantom)
- Sleepover co-planned with SES (Dawn and the Big Sleepover)
- Baby-sitters Club Mini Olympics (Jessi's Gold Medal)
- All the Children of the World (Keep Out, Claudia!)
- Earth Day Fair (Dawn Saves the Planet)
- Dawn's going away party (Dawn's Big Move)
- Carnival at Stoneybrook Manor in (Get Well Soon, Mallory!)
- Video for Dawn in (Jessi and the Bad Baby-sitter)
- Talent Show (Stacey vs. the BSC)
- Day Camp (Mary Anne and Camp BSC)
- Mexican Festival (Stacey's Broken Heart)
- Winter Festival (Abby's Twin)
- Band (Don't Give Up, Mallory!)
- Color War (Claudia Makes Up Her Mind)
- Abby's video project in (Abby and the Best Kid Ever)
- Pet Contest (Kristy Thomas, Dog Trainer
- Strawberry Festival (Stacey's Ex-Boyfriend)
- Holiday Party (Stacey and the Mystery at the Empty House)
- Elephant walk (Mary Anne and the Zoo Mystery)
- Sunny Day Festival (Mary Anne and the Haunted Bookstore)
- Smoke out (Stacey and the Fashion Victim)
- Valentine's Masquerade (Stacey's Ex-Best Friend)
- Art Camp (Karen's Puppet Show)
- Valentine's Day festival with the Stoneybrook Public Library (Stacey and the Stolen Hearts)
- Mini Camp (Sea City, Here We Come!)
Club Meetings
The club meets in Claudia's bedroom every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 5:30-6:00 because Claudia has her own phone line. Claudia provides snacks for the meeting from her secret stash and makes sure that there are non-sugary options for Stacey and Dawn. Emergency Club Meetings are held in under certain conditions. The only approved reasons to miss a meeting is baby-sitting jobs, sicknesses, and emergencies according to Claudia in Claudia and the First Thanksgiving.
There are quite a few things the BSC members do at meetings. Here are a few:
- Talk about gossip (boys, celebrities, school, classmates, etc.)
- Talk about business (advertising, new activities, etc.)
- Come up with ideas (mostly Kristy)
- Talk about club problems (someone quitting the club, the treasury getting low, someone wanting to get new items for their Kid Kit, etc.)
- Talk about new clients or clients in general (child fears, new problems with kids, etc.)
- Talk about funny baby sitting jobs (reflect about baby sitting jobs)
- Answer the telephone (set up baby sitting jobs)
- Laugh, tell jokes, and goof around (Kristy tries to keep it to a minimum but even she finds herself laughing sometimes and can't help it)
- Pay dues (on Mondays)
- Read the Club Notebook
Positions
Role | Notes |
---|---|
President | Kristy is very punctual about starting meetings on time and will give someone "The Look" if they are late. Kristy often sits on Claudia's director's chair during meetings. She often is the one to come up with ideas to promote the club, entertain and attract clients. |
Vice President | Claudia holds the title because it's her private phone line and meetings are held in her room. She also provides all the snacks. Her other duties include being the official off-hours phone answerer. |
Treasurer | Stacey collects dues every Monday and reports on the financial status of the club. The money is kept in a manila envelope (a dollar from each). In the record book the treasurer records expenditures and earnings. The money is used to pay Charlie to drive Kristy and Abby to and from meetings, add supplies to Kid Kits, buy snacks for Claudia, and splurge on the occasional pizza party. |
Secretary | Mary Anne records all jobs and other appointments in the record book. She has never made a scheduling mistake. At the meetings, members write in and read the club Notebook. |
Alternate Officer | Dawn, Abby, and formally Shannon takes over a job if someone can't come to a meeting. |
Junior Officer | Mallory and Jessi take daytime jobs so that the older members can take night jobs. |
Assoc. Officer | Logan and Shannon takes jobs that none of the other members can take. |
Members
- Kristy Thomas (President)
- Claudia Kishi (Vice President)
- Mary Anne Spier (Secretary)
- Stacey McGill (Treasurer)
- Dawn Schafer (Alternate Officer)
- Mallory Pike (Junior Officer)
- Jessi Ramsey (Junior Officer)
- Abby Stevenson (Alternate Officer)
- Logan Bruno (Associate Member)
- Shannon Kilbourne (Associate Member)
Baby-Sitters In Training
Temporary Members
- Leslie Morris (in The Truth About Stacey)
- Janet Gates (in The Truth About Stacey)
- Wendy Loesser (in Jessi and the Bad Baby-sitter)
Honorary Members
- Dawn Schafer (after her move in Farewell, Dawn)
- Mallory Pike (after her move in The All-New Mallory Pike)
Club Possessions
- The Record Book
- The Club Notebook
- Mystery Notebook
- Fliers
- Kid Kits
- Club Treasury
Rules
- It's always been an unspoken rule that if there is more than four kids, they will send two baby-sitters. In Kristy and Mr. Mom the rule becomes official and is sent out to clients on a flier.
- No talking to boyfriends on the phone while on a job (Stacey vs. the BSC)
- No inviting boys over while on sitting jobs (Mary Anne Breaks the Rules)
- Do not let anyone you don't know inside the house while baby-sitting (Claudia and the Mystery in the Painting).
Kristy goes over her list of baby-sitting rules in Dawn's Book, these include:
- Make sure emergency numbers are listed near the phone.
- Have clear instructions on how to reach the parents.
- Ask parents about meals, bedtime rituals, and bedtimes.
- Respect the privacy and no snooping.
Trivia
- The club has tee shirts in Kristy and the Baby Parade.
- The Sitters in Training was only introduced and used in Dawn and Too Many Sitters.
- In Claudia and the Bad Joke, Claudia mentions that the club members had taken a first aid course.
- Everyone in the club in Kristy and the Baby Parade took infant care courses.
- In Mary Anne to the Rescue, all of the girls are CPR trained and certified.
- In Graduation Day Abby notes that there are twenty-four regular clients.
- Clients have different rates according to Dawn in Dawn's Big Move.
- They enter as a club in the run for your money event in Dawn's Big Move.
- The club considers changing positions and wants elections in Jessi Ramsey, Pet-sitter. All of the girls end up doing what they originally wanted.
- In Stacey and the Mystery of Stoneybrook, it's mentioned that the kid kits aren't brought to meetings and Charlotte Johanssen attends a meeting, making her the first outsider.
- The club switches to a cordless phone in Claudia and the Recipe for Danger.
- Anna Stevenson was asked to join the club, but declined in Kristy and the Dirty Diapers.
- Mallory recalls that Kristy says it's a good idea to have a parent or someone else with you when you meet a client for the first time, just to be on the safe side in Mallory and the Ghost Cat.
Media Portrayals
TV Series (1990)
In the book everyone tells Elizabeth Thomas-Brewer their plans over pizza leading to Kristy to think of the club. In this version Elizabeth tells Kristy what everyone else says when she talks to her that night. Claudia Kishi was the first to pick up the first call made to the club.
The Baby-Sitters Club (Netflix series)
In this version Elizabeth Thomas-Brewer is using apps to find a baby-sitter for David Michael Thomas, when Kristy thinks of her idea. Kristy had made herself president, rather then Claudia suggesting it like in the books.