How old is old enough - to babysit?

My3LilMonkeys wrote: DH and I are watching 48 hours mystery and it's very sad. A 17 month old died from shaken baby syndrome and the 13 year old babysitter is being tried for her murder. She admitted to shaking the baby but said that she didn't know that shaking would hurt the baby.

Personally, I'm amazed that this parent would leave their children (there was a 5 year old sister also) with someone so young overnight alone. So I am just curious - how young of a babysitter would you leave your kids with? Does it matter how old the kids are?

I probably wouldn't leave my girls with anyone under 18 at this point (our babysitters are all adult family members). When they were older I might consider someone younger - it would depend on the maturity level of the person.

Edited b/c I wasn't making much sense at one point.

CAMSMOM1 replied: I watched something on shaken baby syndrom, on TLC. I saw the 13 yr old girl. It is terribly sad. But they also had a mother in Idaho who did the same thing. So it could happen with anyone, just depending on the person. KWIM?

I think it just depends on their maturity level. My sister's oldest son is 14 years old, and is very mature for his age. He is great with his younger brothers. And she will allow him to babysit his brothers for 2-3 hours. The youngest is 4 years old, potty trained, ect. I trust her older son, but I'm not sure if I'd have him watch Cameron just because Cameron is still pretty young.

I started babysitting in Jr. High. But I was very used to being around children, changing diapers, ect. (My Mom had a daycare in our home.) I usually babysat children 5 yrs or older. But never overnight.

I think it just depends on the person, if they are ready to babysit. Some adults aren't even fit. It depends on how well they know my child, how mature and responsible they are, and if I feel comfortable. But for now, I only have close family members (adults) babysit. And I'm very picky on who he stays overnight with.

I'm sure once he gets older, I wouldn't mind a 15-16 year old to babysit for a few hours, but not overnight.

Ann

TeagansMom609 replied: We are watching it too. Very sad. I don't know who to believe. The parents had a child die under suspicious circumstances 10 years earlier and the police found drugs in the parents bedroom when they searched the house after the babys death. That makes them look kind of shady I think. Anyway, I don't think 13 is old enough to babysit. I honestly wouldn't let a 18 year old watch my kids. I would only let an older adult watch them. Someone who has kids of their own.

mummy2girls replied: It depends on the child. there are very mature kids at 13 that can babysit9 but not overnight) but there are some at 13 that can not be trusted. I wouldnt let a 13 year old babysit jenna unless they have a babysitters course and first aid training.

jenn3 replied: About 16 years old.

CantWait replied: Well the youngest I've left my kids with are 14. I use to babysit when I was 12 and 13.

luvmykids replied: When I was 12 and 13 I babysat a lot, kids around the same age as in this story, but never overnight. But now, with my kids, the 16 year old next door is dying to babysit and I'm afraid she can't handle it!

At some point maybe we'd use her if we went out to dinner for an hour or two, or maybe after they'd gone to sleep and we wanted to catch a late movie. But we usually have gparents or other adult friends of ours watch them.

gr33n3y3z replied: Yes I saw it also
It was a good story But the girl that was baby sitting never said shaking she said Jiggle the 1 year old. (shaking came from the police)
And the one day that she was there and the mother and her boyfriend was there they never left the bedroom at all I know what they were doing and since they found coke in the room.
I feel there are tons of unanswered questions

But I never had to worry about anyone watching my children my parents or in=laws always watched them.
And the girl should have never have spent the night with them

What age is a good age None bc even adults shake kids.

LilaGrace'sMom replied: What a disturbing show! The parents of the child and the parents of the babysitter need to step up and take some share of the blame. If I had a 13 year old babysitting it would not be for overnight. Children shouldn't be watching children for that long. The parent and boyfriend of the baby who died were mostly portrayed as victims. Um--who in their right mind holes up in a room all day long without wanting to spend time with their precious children? I didnt see the mother as much of a victim, I saw her as wanting to shack up with a boyfreind without having dealing with her children.

I doubt I will leave Lila with someone outside of the family. If we need to, I would think at least 16 and for only a few hours.

kit_kats_mom replied: it depends. my aunt's step daughter is 13 & shes all about babies & kids. So much so that she got her red cross babysitting certification as soon as she was able to. She knows cpr & everything. On the other hand, I would have been an awful sitter at 13.

MamaJAM replied: I would never leave my children with anyone under (at least) 18. Also - I really never plan to leave my kids with anyone who isn't a parent themself (woman or man). Only twice in the 13+ years since having kids - have we used a sitter other than a grandparent....one was a friend who had 2 kids of ther own - the other was a middle-age woman who was a nurse.


FTR - I was a babysitter starting at age 12. I was a responsible kid and loved babies/toddlers -- but as a mother I would NEVER have hired me at that age.
I will not allow my children to babysit until they are 18....not even leaving them with their siblings.

MyLuvBugs replied: I think I was 16 when I started babysitting, but I also took a babysitting class first as well as a CPR class with PE in High School. 13 IMO is too young, but that's JMHO. But I think it also depends on the age of the kid their baby sitting. Like I wouldn't have such a big problem leaving a 5 year old with a 13 year old, but not an infant. I want to have an older person 16+ with training taking care of an infant. But we're lucky b/c we have Family near by to sit for us.

ions_momma replied: I think it depends on how mature the child is. I started babysitting when I was like 12 or 13. It was never overnight, but it was for a few hours. We have a babysitter for Ion that started watching him when she was 15. She does a great job and he loves her! She is 16 now. She still doesnt watch him overnight, but she will babysit until midnight sometimes. She is very mature for her age too though, which I think has alot to do with why we let her watch him.

holley79 replied: I started babysitting the neighbors children when I was 13. My mom was only a few houses down. I was babysitting a 4 month old that had FAS. I did not know what it was at the time. The baby was constantly crying and I remember that I didn't know what to do either. I had to call my mom.

Both sets of parents knew this child had never babysat before. She was asked to be a Mommy's helper for the mother of the 19 month old. I think the mother of the 19 month old needs to take some serious responsibilty in the situation. I think there was a lot more to the story. This baby was 19 months old, she was constantly crying then slumped over. The police put words in the girls mouth on the shaking part. I was actually rooting for the 13 year old because after watching the tapes I was furious. I work law enforcement and that was just unacceptable.

It is just one of those things we will never know the whole story one. As for if a 13 year old is old enough to babysit.... If I knew the 13 year old REALLY well, had her "helping" me here at the house for a while, and if she showed tremendous responsibilty then maybe. I probably would feel better though with a family member watching Annika.

MyBrownEyedBoy replied:
Actually, it was a caregiver. The child was being evaluated by a "counselor" for autism in her home. She had picked him up from his daycare to do the evaluation. Her counselling license had been revoked. If you are thinking of one just recently, it actually happened in my town.

fashionmumofboys replied: I would never allow anybody under 18 to watch my boys.

If needed be, I always have my mother to watch them.

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied: Our babysitter (27) has a daughter (9) who is dying to babysit Wil on her own. Her mom and I were actually talking about this and said "maybe" in three years. But it's because she is very mature and will be very used to Wil by then. But other than that, I probably wouldn't trust anyone under 18.

I babysat when I was 11, but times have changed I guess.

kimberley replied: that is so sad!

no one besides grandparents have babysat for me. i just don't trust anyone, especially before a child can talk. i carried, birthed and nursed my babies and even *I* get frustrated because i don't know what they want sometimes. no way i would put that responsibility in the hands of another child no matter how mature they are.

Edward's Mommy replied:
I was 11 when I started baby-sitting. But I have two mentally handicapped cousins whom I baby-sat a lot so I think with that under my belt, a lot of people trusted me to baby sit. Actually, I had two, my cousin Holly died in August of complications after brain surgery. So, now I only have one mentally handicapped cousin. Either way, when Edward gets to the point where I will leave him with a baby sitter, I will check all kinds of records and I will not let someone baby sit my son unless they know CPR and are certified for it! Or taken a Red Cross class for baby-sitters.

PhiMuMommy replied: I would say at least 16 maybe 15 if certified.. but i don't know.. laws say 14 here where i'm at.. but i dont' think i would go for that.. but it also depends on how old the child is.. infants are adult only in my book.. my son i'd trust with a 16 yr old.. but i doubt they'd have patience..lol..

C&K*s Mommie replied: I would be reluctant to let anyone watch our girls, that was not family. So IMO 13 is rather young. Maybe after a build up of time, and if the child were at least 16 I could consider having a 16yr old child or older watch our girls. But our girls would also have to be older as well.