how old was the youngest babysitter you ever hired??

[ProudGrandma]

deleted becasue I am satisfied with answers...thanks.

 

 

 

[zoobie]

Some states have laws. I wouldn't be comfortable with the scenario you mentioned, but my then 10 year old is better with her 2 year old sister than many adults. I still wouldn't leave them here unsupervised.

 

We don't often have babysitters. Our only non-family sitter is mid-20s? I've never asked her age. She's a friend's nanny.

[gardenmom5]

It can also depend upon the child being babysat as well as the sitter.

 

Some kids I wouldn't trust at 18.

[AimeeM]

Nah. When my eldest was 11, her next in line sibling was 3. She was left alone with him once or twice, if I went across the street to a neighbor's house for a minute, but that was it. Never for even an hour. Period.

[Cinder]

The youngest we've hired was a 13yo. She'd taken the Red Cross course and was very conscientious. She had us fill out a form with all the info--name, address, phone number, boys' doctor name/number, etc.--just in case. She always had an activity or two planned and never resorted to plopping the boys in front of the tv. My dc loved her; we loved her too, but then we moved. That was a bummer.

 

All our other sitters were at least 16yo.

[Anne in CA]

The youngest babysitter I had was 12. She had taken a Red Cross course and had a lot of responsibility. I only left her with the kids for an hour and a half, but she did very well.

[Ottakee]

Our youngest sitter was 15 or 16 .............but I was babysitting a baby and toddler at age 9 and by 11 had a newborn for up to 40 hours a week and often had 3, 4, 5 kids or more.  I cooked, cleaned, bathed, put them to bed, etc.

[Lawana]

We very rarely hired sitters. My stepdaughter usually stayed with the kids when we went out. The youngest one we hired was able to drive herself to our house, I am thinking she was 18?

 

I started to babysit at 11. I was quite responsible, but I was also 11. There were a few situations that I did not handle particularly well, including one time a 6 yo boy chased my into the bathroom with a sharp kitchen knife! Yikes! I didn't even tell the parents, because I thought it would seem I wasn't able to handle him.

 

Oh wait. There was one time my mother and siblings and I were visiting my aunt. She was babysitting a 3 mo. old infant. Mother, aunt, siblings and cousins all went to the store, leaving me with the sleeping baby. I was 8. I doubt that would happen now.

[Ivey]

Some of my kids have been mature enough to babysit their younger siblings by 11, but I don't think we ever left a 10-year-old in charge for more than 10 or 15 minutes.

 

Ds11's best friend, who is 12, has watched Ds5 a couple times, but we always hired older teenagers (15+) when our kids were babies/toddlers. 

[RoughCollie]

When the kids were very young, we hired women who were 65.  By the time they were 8 and 9, we hired a 20 year old college student a couple of times.  I preferred the older women because they were very experienced with children and they cleaned up any messes made while they were there (and some extras, too).  The 20 year old basically just watched tv with the kids, even though I made it plain that I wanted her to actually play with them, keep the tv off, and do no housework.

 

I babysat from ages 12-17, and my mom was close by in case any problems arose.  I spent the entire time playing with and reading to the kids, cleaned up after myself and the kids, and taught the 5 and 6 year olds how to read. Back then, teenage babysitters charged 50 cents an hour, but I raised my rates to $1/hour since I gave so much bang for the buck!

[PinkyandtheBrains.]

 

 

I babysat when I was ten. I did fine.

 

For a variety of reasons I don't think I would hire a ten year old now.

[ProudGrandma]

well thanks ladies for your various opinions...I do appreciate the perspectives.  I totally get it depends on the sitter and the kids being "sat"....on whether it would be better...but I guess I can't imagine a 10 year old knowing what to do in an emergency...a child falling a breaking a bone, or cutting open their head, etc.   I think my 10 year old (and the 2 I am asking about) not having a real clue what to do...but I guess 911 is only a call away too...but still....

[SKL]

I would trust my kids to babysit a 3yo at age 10.  I (alone) babysat a 1yo and a 3yo at age 10.  I also used to babysit my baby brother every afternoon beginning when I was 9.

 

Starting when my kids were 5/6, they have been helping with the younger cousins (ages 2-4) when they visit their grandparents.  My kids take their cousins upstairs and keep them busy, read to them, help them with potty training etc.  By all reports, they do a great job and are a real help to the grandparents.  They are not left alone in the house, but they are gaining confidence for when they are old enough to legally babysit.  (In my state, 10yo would be too young to babysit legally, but that doesn't mean some kids aren't capable.)

[catz]

Back in my day, I babysat regularly at age 11, even for infants.  No one way I have hired a kid that young as a babysitter now.  Even if a kid that age is super mature and responsible, unusual situations can come up.  I've hired teens 15+.  My 10 year old just started staying home alone for short periods in the past 6 months or so.  We left her and her 13 year old brother alone for the first time like last week for a couple hours. 

[SKL]

But to answer the actual question, my kids have never been babysat by anyone other than a well-seasoned adult.  This is because no young person has ever come and offered to babysit.  I would not rule it out if someone came and offered.  I would give them a chance to do some work with the kids (within the law) and see how it goes, then decide if they can do more next time.

 

My kids are getting old enough to stay by themselves for short time periods now, so I'm guessing they will never have a teen babysitter.

[LucyStoner]

I had a very robust babysitting business from age 11 on. I did full time care in the summers, late nights and even overnights from age 12 up.

 

Still, I wouldn't hire an 11 year old sitter myself. The youngest sitter I have used was 19. Mostly I can only use adults who are experienced with autism because of my older son.

 

I do have two 12 year olds mothers helpers who work as a team that will be coming once a week. But I am around, studying when they are here. They play with my 5 year old. My 11 year old can see to himself in that situation but he can't entertain/occupy his brother. I did the same thing, with a 12 year old boy when my older son was 5-6 so I could study part of each Saturday. But again, I am right there the whole time in case I am needed.

[JenneinCA]

As best I remember, my daughter was 12 and her brothers were 10 and 7 when I left them alone for the first time. That was the youngest sitter I have used. Of course, she has gotten older since then and so have the boys. I have left the youngest alone for very short times, like half an hour or so but, I prefer to wait until my kids are 12 to leave them alone for any significant time.

[Lolly]

I babysat at ten all the time. My mother was always home down the street if I needed anything. I wonder if perhaps there were adults fairly close by/available, but not immediately around. My girls were mature enough to babysit at 10, though they did not (other than each other).

[ProudGrandma]

how do I find out what the law is in my state?  I googled it, but I either came up with "there are no laws" or "yes, there are laws and the youngest you can be is 16" (but that was posted about 7 years ago and I don't know if the law has changed).

 

 

[Tammi K]

When my youngest daughter ( child #5)  was just about 10 days old and  DH was away on a short business trip and I found myself with two sick little girls who I suspected had strep throat.  I called the doctor for an appointment and was told to come immediately but they suggested we not bring the newborn into the office as it was peak 'sick kid' time. We didn't really know anyone who could drop in to help the 12 year old with her 4 year old brother and watch the new baby.

 

My oldest kept saying, "Go. We'll be fine!"  Seeing no other way around it I did go. (The doctor was only about 10 minutes away.) I called after the appointment to tell her we now had to go to the pharmacy for medicine. She told me to stop worrying. I called her from the pharmacy to tell her it would take awhile. She told me to stop worrying! We were home about 1.5 hours later and everyone was fine.

 

Not too long after that she was hired by someone to watch their 4 month old when they went out for the first time since he was born. It was the first time she left him with anyone and she chose a 12 year old. She said she saw DD interact with her siblings and knew that she had everything under control and well in hand. 

 

That said, I still sometimes cringe at the thought of leaving my 20 and 13 year old sons home alone. I never know what those two will come up with while I'm gone. :001_unsure:

[Luanne]

I only hired a babysitter for my daughter one time and she was 15.  Usually one of my parents, my sister, or my brother were available.  I did let a friend watch her once when she was 3, but he was about 19 at the time.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Dd was ten.  I was eleven.  We had access to grown-ups if something had gone wrong.  Two ten year old's together, as long as they are conscientious, sounds like a good idea because they can help each other.  

[La Condessa]

I don't think that is all that strange. I regularly babysat my 2 and 6 year old brothers for an hour or so at a time at that age, and started my first regular paid babysitting job outside the family at 11. Four hours does seem fairly long, but there were two of them--and if they were mature kids, and the little cousin a fairly easy kid, with parents accessible by cell phone if needed--I don't think it's a problem.

 

That said, I'm too much of a worrywart to hire a sitter that young myself. Two of my three kids are definitely not easy kids. We used to have a sitter who looked about seventeen, and I found out as we were preparing to leave the house when we had her to babysit the second time that she was only fourteen. I wouldn't have hired her the first time if I'd known her age, but since she'd done so well the first time we continued with her.

[swellmomma]

I have never hired a sitter but I was babysitting other people's kids including the occasional overnight at 11.  The parents all knew me because I was a volunteer at the afterschool care each day.  I was babysitting my own siblings at age 9.  I had no problem babysitting young because I was very mature and absolutely loved it (and remain in childcare to this day)

[SemiSweet]

I have left my 18mo with my 11yo for up to 20 minutes (for a jog), I also sometimes have him or 9yo dd watch him when I nap (but obviously I'm available). My eldest is quite responsible and knows how to care for the baby. I don't really hire sitters but if I did I think 16 would probably be my lowest age.

[kroe1]

Twenty. I hired my son to be his sister's nanny. Next, was a 45 y.o. to be the night nanny a couple of years later. My kiddos have never had just a one night sitter.

[regentrude]

16 with parents next door, otherwise I only used adults who could drive.

[Mimm]

Hm. I leave my 10 month old with my 11 year old almost daily while I pick up their sister from school. I am gone around 15-20 minutes and the baby is always sleeping. I have left her here awake a few times when both my 11 year old and 13 year old are here to play with her, for about 20-25 minutes. Of course, these are my kids that I know well and who have practice taking care of her. Still, I think I would hire a 14-15 year old if needed. I was babysitting at that age.

[MeaganS]

I was babysitting my 5 younger siblings by 10 years old for long periods of time and babysitting other kids by 11. I was responsible but didn't necessarily love it or anything. My parents left us for multi-day trips by 14, with an adult available if I needed her. That said, we hire a 13 year old as our babysitter most of the time and I'm pretty comfortable with that.

 

When my youngest brother was born, I was 11 and was spending the night at a friend's house after trick-or-treating. My parents picked me up to watch my siblings at 3 am and we saw no other adults until 8 pm that night. It wasn't their brightest idea leaving that many kids alone with all their candy. I want responsible enough not to give into that temptation. 😊

[Lady Marmalade]

I realize this is a different day and age, but I was babysitting my siblings regularly when I was ten.  At the time my sibs were 8, 6, and 3 year old twins.   I was very responsible at that age- I recall cooking mac-n-cheese or hamburger helper for dinner often. 

 

By the time I was 11, everyone in town knew that I was babysitting all my younger siblings, including that set of twins, and I was in HOT demand as a babysitter.  

 

Of course, I didn't get paid when babysitting my siblings, but I felt like a real champ when I would go somewhere else and really work hard for that $1.00 an hour.  

 

Now my DD goes and sits somewhere for a couple of hours and always comes home with at least a twenty.  

[LostSurprise]

Youngest I've used: 13/14. I think she was 13 the first 2x and she turned 14 after that. She was a very responsible, serious, oldest child who watched her siblings. I watched her sit for the women's bible study for a few months before deciding she would work. The first time we came back she had my (convalescing from chicken pox but not communicable) toddler in a soothing 2" oatmeal bath and she'd played with him the whole 2 hours. I was so impressed she's still our babysitter (she's 27). She's an honorary niece by now, I think. ;)

 

I sat for my own sibs at 11. Some kids are good at it, and very responsible. My current 11yo is great with kids. He and my 14 year old should go into business. I pay them to entertain and watch 3 toddlers and 5 preschoolers sometimes, but we're just in the other room if they need help. Oldest son will wander off. He gets bored. 

[Pink Elephant]

When my kids were babies, I had two sitters that I used regularly (outside of immediate family). One was 19 years old, the other, age 23. Both were dependable and highly qualified and experienced.

[gingersmom]

This topic is from many many months ago.