Would you use a high schooler for babysitting ? Not as a baby but just for a date night or mothers helper?
Would you use a high schooler for babysitting ? Not as a baby but just for a date night or mothers helper?
nectarine / 2180 posts
Sure. We have, many times. In my experience with using teen sitters for the last 3 years, in 3 different cities, is that I'm happiest with them when I leave very explicit instructions. For example, if I don't say "no TV," the TV will pretty much always come on. And I've gotten dinner ready before the sitter came, and I come home 2-3 hours later and the food is still sitting out...ay ay ay. But if I'm very clear, it works out fine. My girls have loved pretty much all of the teenage sitters we've had.
pomegranate / 3779 posts
Yes, we've done it several times since my daughter was about 12 months old. We even used a high school girl to watch LO1 for a week while our nanny was on vacation last year. LO1 was almost 2.
persimmon / 1483 posts
Definitely - our 16.5 yo neighbor just started doing date nights for us. It's worked out perfectly so far.
eggplant / 11716 posts
I had a regularish high school babysitter the past 2 years but she went to college---boooo. She was really fabulous, though. Our local High School has a "safe sitters" program where the kids that join take a CPR course, learn about safety and developmental stuff about kids, and learn how to be babysitters basically. Then the HS hosts a "meet and greet" and families can come and interview the potential HS babysitters. I went one year and "interviewed" a few kids in the school cafeteria--that process was awkward because it was very formal and all the little kiddos had typed up resumes and stuff and I didn't know really what to ask, and all the teacher/group mentors were watching, haha.
BUT I got a great sitter. I don't know if they cover this stuff in the class, but she was extremely "hands on" and played with our older one, was really good at feeding her. Our house would be spotless when we got home. The few times we asked her to come sit when the kids were already asleep, she didn't even turn on the TV! We have security cameras and I would check in and she would just be sitting on the couch, quiet as a church mouse, reading a book or doing homework.
I asked her once if she wanted pizza or anything to snack on, and she just said "no thank you. I eat at home". haha. Adorable.
I need to get a new teenage sitter.
squash / 13199 posts
@Miss Flamingo: I personally wouldnt. Many highschoolers are very reponsible and capable of taking care of a child but I dont think they fully understand certain safety issues and lately most are all on social media constantly and I'd worry they wont pay attention to my child.
persimmon / 1273 posts
My sitter is 15 and she is fabulous. My son loves her, and she always does a great job. Her parents live nearby (and we know them well) so that helps me feel comfortable too, but I really think age is only one factor in choosing a sitter. Plenty of college kids are immature too.
grapefruit / 4418 posts
Probably not for both my infant and toddler, but one or the other for a few hours would be okay with me.
pomelo / 5573 posts
Definitely. I babysat starting at, like, 12. I would not trust a 12 year old with my kids but 16, as long as I knew them, absolutely.
honeydew / 7235 posts
yes, we do all the time. We have 3 high school girls that live on our same street and we rotate them!
one of the younger ones (i think she was 14 at the time) I used as a mothers helper quite often when my husband was traveling for work to mainly help with the 3 year old and i handled the baby!
honeydew / 7622 posts
My babysitter is 15. I won't leave T with her until she has CPR training. She's a family friend so I trust her. For now she just hangs out with T while I work at home.
persimmon / 1445 posts
I would prefer to leave my kid with a younger sitter that I knew personally rather than an older, more experienced stranger. My parents always used their friends kids or our neighbors as sitters and it worked out extremely well. I wish I knew some teenagers that wanted to babysit my daughter- we live in a college town and all the sitters I can find charge like $15 an hour and they just want to play on their phones.
persimmon / 1310 posts
From now on I will probably only hire one that I personally know and trust. I previously hired two based on recommendations from neighbors who I trust, and it didn't work out as well as I hoped. My daughter enjoyed them more than an older sitter (I guess she sees them as kids?).
One of them cancelled on me at the last minute a couple of times. The last cancellation was immediately followed by a wrong number text that made it clear she lied about her plans to attend a funeral. So I told her it wasn't working out.
pomelo / 5326 posts
Yes I would definitely use a high schooler that I knew and trusted or was recommended by a good friend.
blogger / grapefruit / 4836 posts
Yes, a few that we trusted and had known a long time. Starting from a couple months old.
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21616 posts
The majority of our sitters have been middle school and high school!
I loved babysitting from 12-18 and it was a great income so I love to give other boys/girls that opportunity. In many ways I prefer younger baby sitters cause they get kids so well.
I've had a young baby sitter even since he was a baby. I have no concerns. The teenagers I know, I know their parents well and the kids themselves are respectful and responsible.
honeydew / 7504 posts
Yup. I babysat as a teeenager. I'd have no problem hiring a teenager I know.
GOLD / wonderful olive / 19030 posts
Yep, I babysat as a middle schooler/high schooler and I have no problem using a high schooler now! My girls are old enough now that I don't worry as much (19 months/4 years.) I usually use grandma or aunt care when they are babies but now that they are older, high schooler for a few hours is okay with me!
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