? about when to let a 14 year old babysit

kristalovesjared · January 2011

Our neighbor girl is 14, has taken a babysitting class and watches some other kids in our neighborhood (3 years old and up). Every time we talk to her parents they always mention that she is really excited to babysit Ella. She came over a couple times and played with Ella in the summer and she was really good with her. I just don't know if I feel comfortable leaving my one year old with a 14 year old even though her parents are right next door. I was thinking maybe around 2 when she can walk by herself and is a little more independent. Just wondering what your thoughts are... would you let a responsible 14 year old watch your one year old? I'm wondering because when I was 13/14 I babysat a couple babies under one year old... were those parents just crazy? Or am I just being overprotective?

keri1013 · January 2011

It's funny, I was just talking about this with a friend the other day, we were remembering how we started babysitting at 12, and now the thought of leaving Max with a 12 year old seems crazy. I do think a lot depends on the individual....there are super-mature, responsible 14 year olds, and 18 year olds whom I wouldn't trust my cats with. I think if I knew the 14 year old, her parents would be home the whole time, and it was for a short time, I might do it. But I can also see waiting until your child is a bit older and can communicate better. Did her babysitting class include CPR? That would be important too.

Mama_v2.0 · January 2011

I don't blame you, because I too am over protective. I think I would start small. Have her watch your daughter while you go grocery shopping or something local that takes about an hour. Let your trust and confidence in her build slowly. Then maybe the time after that do a local date night or movie.

Brynnie2010 · January 2011

I was 13 when I started babysitting, and the youngest I watched was 6 weeks old.

kristalovesjared · January 2011

Brynnie2010:
I was 13 when I started babysitting, and the youngest I watched was 6 weeks old.

Yes, I watched a 6 week old at 14 and thinking back that was crazy! I remember just leaving the baby in the swing until it cried because I didn't want to break it!

kristalovesjared · January 2011

keri1013:
Did her babysitting class include CPR? That would be important too.

I will have to ask her about that one... that is really important to me too!

Seattle_JiLLn · January 2011

I wouldn't do it until the kid can talk more. But yeah, when I was young, I watched little kids too and now that I think about it it seems insane! I would use her maybe in the afternoons occasionally? Let her come over while your LO is napping and you can run to get your hair cut or something? Then if/when she wakes up, they just have a little while together to start getting used to each other, and you get a break. I wish I had done something like that so that I could have started getting COoper used to someone. Because now, we're hosed. he has crazy separation anxiety. We'll never get a break.

Brynnie2010 · January 2011

kristalovesjared:
Brynnie2010:
I was 13 when I started babysitting, and the youngest I watched was 6 weeks old.
Yes, I watched a 6 week old at 14 and thinking back that was crazy! I remember just leaving the baby in the swing until it cried because I didn't want to break it!

Haha! Right? Luckily at that age they dig the swing!

WatchPot · January 2011

I think that I'd start with short trips to the grocery store or to run errands. I probably would also be OK with having her come over (once STTN) for the night after DC goes to sleep for a night out with hubby.

Brynnie2010 · January 2011

Seattle_JiLLn:
I wouldn't do it until the kid can talk more. But yeah, when I was young, I watched little kids too and now that I think about it it seems insane! I would use her maybe in the afternoons occasionally? Let her come over while your LO is napping and you can run to get your hair cut or something? Then if/when she wakes up, they just have a little while together to start getting used to each other, and you get a break. I wish I had done something like that so that I could have started getting COoper used to someone. Because now, we're hosed. he has crazy separation anxiety. We'll never get a break.

The only reason I wouldn't do this is because if DD did wake up while I was gone, then she wakes up, Mommy is not home and just the sitter is there. If LO goes down for a nap with the sitter then it's different, they wake up with the same person as when they went to sleep and they had "introduction" time with sitter and Mommy.

kaskade · January 2011

keri1013:
It's funny, I was just talking about this with a friend the other day, we were remembering how we started babysitting at 12, and now the thought of leaving Max with a 12 year old seems crazy. I do think a lot depends on the individual....there are super-mature, responsible 14 year olds, and 18 year olds whom I wouldn't trust my cats with. I think if I knew the 14 year old, her parents would be home the whole time, and it was for a short time, I might do it. But I can also see waiting until your child is a bit older and can communicate better. Did her babysitting class include CPR? That would be important too.

This! I was pondering it myself. I also started at 12 as a monther's helper - so the mom could watch me interact and "supervise" her child while she worked in the garden outside, or on other projects. After a while she trusted me to be alone [well, my parents were two houses down..]. I'd do it if you trust her, her parents are next door, she has basic sitter training, and knows how to call 911 and stay calm in an emergency.

Seattle_JiLLn · January 2011

Brynnie2010:
Seattle_JiLLn:
I wouldn't do it until the kid can talk more. But yeah, when I was young, I watched little kids too and now that I think about it it seems insane! I would use her maybe in the afternoons occasionally? Let her come over while your LO is napping and you can run to get your hair cut or something? Then if/when she wakes up, they just have a little while together to start getting used to each other, and you get a break. I wish I had done something like that so that I could have started getting COoper used to someone. Because now, we're hosed. he has crazy separation anxiety. We'll never get a break.
The only reason I wouldn't do this is because if DD did wake up while I was gone, then she wakes up, Mommy is not home and just the sitter is there. If LO goes down for a nap with the sitter then it's different, they wake up with the same person as when they went to sleep and they had "introduction" time with sitter and Mommy.

Well of course I wouldn't do this for their first meeting. But that's how I'd use a young sitter in general rather than night time dates and having to do bedtime. Probably at first i would just have her over to play a few times without leaving.

MelodyFerg · January 2011

We have a 13 year old neighbor girl who did babysitting classes last Spring (and they did have a CPR component to them). My DH had her come over a few times in the Summer, he is a SAHD in the summers to watch the boys while he ran an errand or did yard work. She would just play with the boys outside or in their rooms for like an hour. She was great with them, but sometimes he was home.

We have recently started using her for date nights. She comes over after we put Blake to bed (he goes to sleep at 7pm) so she is really just watching TV (Caden gets to stay up for a little bit and watch a movie with her and then he puts himself to bed), but we get to go out to dinner or we did a Christmas Shopping expedition.

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