I would trust our occasional babysitter's daughter who is 14 with Charlie if they played at home. If they stayed home, I'd probably trust someone even younger. For olive, I don't think I'd be comfortable with a young sitter , especially because she hates the bottle. Maybe college aged at least. What about you ?
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Twenties and up but I don't really trust anyone who hasn't had children of their own. My good friend isn't a mom but a full time nanny...she's done things with my son before that make me uncomfortable (like leaving a knife in arms reach of him). It wasn't a one time thing either. All of my sisters who are childless are like this as well. I wish I could say it depends on the person but I didn't become fully aware of what it takes to think ahead when taking care of a baby/toddler until I became a mom.
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Twenties as well, because it's tough with two!
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Man the people in my neighborhood used to call me to babysit all the time at 10 years old. And I always babysat babies younger than a year. Pretty sure every weekend and some weekdays from age 10-18 was spent babysitting. I loved it!
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Twenties until LO is older!
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College age as well and only if they have experience and only when she's a little older. She's only 4 months right now.
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I don't have kids yet, but I would probably say 15 and up for toddlers, and maybe college aged for babies? I started babysitting when I was 11 years old - but there is no way I would leave my baby with an 11 year old now!!
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College as well and with experience. There are a few part-time college aged girls at DD's daycare and I would be fine leaving her with one of them.
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I think I started babysitting around 13. I took a safe sitter and CPR course first. Most of the time the parents would make dinner and I would feed the kids and put them to bed. We would stay inside, no baths, it was just easy.
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This thread makes me not feel bad for not letting my 14 year old sister watch my four month old! My Mom is constantly giving me crap for it, saying that I was babysitting at her age and it is unfair to her to not let her sit yet.
I too feel like moms are so much more aware and I would trust a mom much more. I still haven't left LO with anyone other than her grandmas and my DH.
I still haven't even put her in the church nursery!
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someone in thier 20's for a baby. but i dont feel comfortable having anyone out of family watch him being he is so young. he has only been watched by his grandparents.
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I think it would depend on the babysitter - how well I know and trust them. My niece is 15 and I think she is great and trust her completely but I'm not sure I would leave my 5 mo. old with her quite yet. If my son was a little older I think I would be ok with her watching him for a couple hours.
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Not a mom yet, but I think I would let a trustworthy 15 yr old watch my future baby/ies that are older than 1 yr. I started baby sitting when I was 13, which looking back, seems a bit young... but 15 sounds good!
Honestly, I think I was a better baby sitter when I was 13, 14, 15 than when I was in college. I was less distracted when I was younger and could relate to the kids more and actually "play" with them.
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I would say late teens/20s for a young baby, toddlers I would trust me 14-15 year old cousins as long as they stayed home and I wouldn't make them cook or do baths. I never had to do that when babysitting.
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Right now LO is only about 4 months old and I would potentially leave her with a 16 year old. That said, LO is in bed at 7:00 so it would likely be a matter of someone just sitting in the living room while she sleeps. I also live in the kind of neighborhood where it's easy to go for a nice dinner just a few blocks away, so yeah, a couple of hours during the night when I can easily make it home in case of an issue? No problem.
For a full day affair, I would probably say older, like college age, until LO is at least a year.
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We've had one of DD's daycare helpers watch her; the helper was... 17 and DD was 18 months. Now the helper is 18, and we'd be ok with her watching both kids (2 years and 5 months) for a couple hours after they go to bed.
It's weird because I started babysitting at my house (with my mom's help) at like 10 years old. And at other people's houses by myself at maybe 12. The youngest baby I watched was only 2 weeks old! But I wouldn't trust a babysitter that young with my kids! It makes me feel like a hypocrite...
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I agree with the majority who say 20s/college age - because my LO is just 3.5mos. Once he is a bit older, I'd probably relax a bit...
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@Mrsdaredevil: I wouldn't leave a 4 month old with a 14 year old!
My LO is just 1 month now. I would probably leave with college-aged kid. When he is older, say 3 yo, I would leave with a 16 yo and up. Maybe a 14 yo for a short time. Even though I babysat when I was younger than that...I wouldn't trust them now that I have my own. Kids just aren't as aware of their surroundings or as paranoid as I would want them to be to make sure that LO is safe!
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My baby is only 4 months so it would have to be someone atleast 21 or up. Once she is talking and able to tell me if something happened then I would trust someone younger to take care of her
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I baby sat my younger brother and sister when I was 11-12 (my mo had me take a CPR class) but they were only 2 then. I felt comfortable, but my mom really didn't have a choice, she needed me to babysit. I don't think I would ever feel comfortable though doing that personally
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wow this surprises me!! I started babysitting when I was 11, while the parents were home, and then 12 on my own. My first kid was 3, so it was easier, but a year later they had another baby and entrusted me to watch her after she was 6 mos old.
@HeatherlovesKenny: really?! that surprises me. I was a nanny for many years leading up to being a mom and I definitely had the same awareness as a mother would... like this one time, the mom I worked for asked her 4 yo to bring her the scissors... I looked at her and said, "did you just ask him to grab the scissors?"
She was like... oops. stupid move. lol!!
I mean obviously I'm more protective and aware because he's my own son, but I've always been really careful. Even if the parents say "oh it's okay" if I didn't feel comfortable with it, I'd tell the kids no, only when their parents are home... etc.I kind of love the idea of a young babysitter because then she can grow with the kids. I'm still friends with some of the families I started with at 12-14 and that is just so cool to me! Some of the kids are graduating high school now and it's sad!! haha.
I would love to have a young, responsible and mature sitter. I would definitely have her babysit in my house with me first, and have her take a child cpr and first aid course. Now that Cobi is 6 months, I think he's past the more fragile and difficult NB stage.
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For me its hard because lo has stranger anxiety. She cries for other people and it takes her a long time to warm up to people. The only people she lets hold her are her grandparents .... not even her aunt and uncle who she sees on a weekly basis. Even if she wasn't like that I'm paranoid and only like grandparents watching her!
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Probably mid teens- 14-17 when the LO is 6 months or older. Probably someone with more knowledge and expeirence under 6 months!
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I’m not sure and I probably won’t know for sure until LO arrives. I did babysit at a young age though (probably starting at about 11) and I agree with a PP…I think I was a better babysitter when I was younger, less distracted and just had fun playing with the kids. I babysat for one family specifically really often and I watched 3 kids starting when they were 3, 6 and 3 months. I’d make dinner for them and give them baths too.
Luckily we live close to family so most of the time I’m pretty sure our little guy will be with either grandparents or my sister who is 21 and very mature with babies/children. I probably wouldn’t let my 13 year old brother babysit him though and probably not even my 17 year old brother in law. Now that I think about it I really think it depends on the maturity/responsibility level of the potential sitter.
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