Babysitter Age

Re: Babysitter Age

• DaisyZH member

  June 2014

  I agree with 16, and I'd have to know that they were responsible. I wouldn't hire a 16 year old I'd never met.
  
  DH and I were discussing this, my main babysitting years were like 11-14. Way too young I think.

  
  

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• staebells member

  June 2014

  I think 12-14 depending on where we were going and for how long. I, personally, would not want a 16 year old to drive my child anywhere. If there were a true emergency, I'd have them call 911.

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• Unknown

  June 2014

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• llybeck member

  June 2014

  To be completely honest, I wouldn't even consider a babysitter that wasn't either our parents or incredibly close friends that also have kids. I can't see a situation when we'd need a sitter and neither set of grandparents is available though; we get out quite a bit but they're always the ones who take them.

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• Af1004 member

  June 2014

  It really depends on my child's age and how long I'm going to be gone. My infant, they'd have to be someone I really trust! I only let my or DH parents watch DD right now. When she's 3 I'd be more likely to let someone around 14 for a couple of hours. DH's family is just across the street, like parents, grandparents, aunts, ect. so we'd likely have one of them instead of a teenager.

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• Zoly1103 member

  June 2014

  I still can't believe I started babysitting at 14. The dad knew my dad, but I didn't know them. The kids were 3 and 1 1/2 but they had a couple more kids when I stopped watching them at about 19. I really doubt I would let a teenager watch my baby now though. Maybe when he's older.
  
  For what it's worth though, I often think about how much things have changed. I don't think there's anything wrong with how (relaxed?) people were back then even though I do not always make those same choices. 
  

  

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• barnwife member

  June 2014

  Well, I started babysitting at 12. Actually when I was 8 or 9, my mom saw me pushing the neighbor's toddler in his stroller down the sidewalk...with no adult. My mom went to ask the neighbor WTF she was thinking letting me take the toddler alone. She told my mom I was very responsible. (I was.)
  
  In HS, I regularly babysat for a family of 5 kids. Those parents would go out to eat with another family who had 1 child whom I also was the main sitter for. So I'd sit for all 6 kids. And sometimes the cousins who lived next door would come over. Looking back, this is crazy.
  
  We've only left all 3 kiddos with one non-family babysitter. She's 19 or 20. If it's all 3 kiddos, I definitely want someone who is at least 16. Actually, I prefer sitters who can drive themselves.

  
  

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• redfallon member

  June 2014

  I left DD with my 13-yr-old niece (who stayed with us last week) when I went to drop DH off to pick up my car from getting an alignment. The carseat will not tighten down in his truck, so I couldn't take DD with me. The place was at the end of our street. I left them in our upstairs playroom and I was gone for less than 10 minutes driving down there and back. It may have been closer to 5 minutes. I felt ok with it since they were in the playroom and it wasn't an extended period of time. If my niece stays with us for a longer period of time next year, then I will feel more comfortable about leaving them together. As far as not feeling comfortable with leaving them for a longer period of time last week, I feel that was my fault for not having my niece hold her more and maybe try to change a diaper or something while she was visiting us. For me, it was about my niece feeling comfortable and confident in being able to take care of her, which would make me feel confident in her taking care of DD.
  

  Jamie

  
  

  
  

   

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• HBirdie member

  June 2014

  I was thinking about this recently too, because I babysat three little girls when I was in fifth grade. Which would make me ten. TEN! How was that mom okay with it? She was a single mom, I lived across the street, and I was cheap, I guess that's how. And my mom was usually home when I was sitting and I was good about calling her if I needed help. But I specifically remember being with them for her workdays (on Saturdays and in the summer) that were 8 hours long, and I remember giving them medicine when they were sick. Wow. I mean, I was responsible, but wow. I definitely wouldn't leave a ten year old with my kid.
  
  I'm in @llybeck's camp right now. I have no reason to use a non-grandparent babysitter so I just can't imagine letting any teen watch my kid(s). We'll see if that changes when he's older.

  Married: 8.5.12
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• jackdaniels13 member

  June 2014

  Same here!  I babysat my cousins and I remember my aunt "paying" me with movies like The Little Mermaid!  I have caught myself thinking I would NEVER.  My niece is almost 10 and I still make her sit while holding DD.  Times have for sure changed yo!

  

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