S/O what's the youngest babysitter you'd be comfortable with?

[TwinFoxes]

For a non-relative babysitter. For me, I'd say 16, but I'd consider letting my 13yo niece babysit next year, when she's 14. Someone in the other thread said they have used someone who's 12. I think I started babysitting at 14-15. I'm curious what other people do.

[edurnemk]

We've only used 21-22 year old babysitters. I think I'd have a hard time feeling comfortable with anything under 19. I want someone responsible and more prepared for dealing with any kind of emergency/crisis.

I was a pretty responsible teenager, and I did babysit when I was about 17, but looking back, I don't know If I'd known how to handle an emergency.

[AnnieW625]

We let our almost 14 yr. old DCP daughter watch DD1 when she was 2. We were 2 miles from home, and DD1 knows the girl quite well because she is at her home everyday. DD1 was still going to bed at 7:30 so it was really quite easy for her.

FWIW, I started baby sitting my next door neighbors kid when I was 13 or 14; she was 2, and my mom or dad was almost always next door. The parents were always in town, no more than 5 miles away. There were no cell phones then though. I used the DCPs 11 yr. old last year as a mothers' helper when I had a meeting at my house.

I started watching my baby sister when I was 11 if my mom had to run to the market or go to mass on something like Good Friday, no more than 2 hrs. I could change a cloth diaper, and feed her cold baby food or cheerios. Again no cell phones, but we lived in a culdesac full of parents so most likely one of them was always home, and I knew the church, fire, and police numbers, not just 911.

[ewpmsw]

I'd have to say 16 for our toddler and probably older for a newborn. We have a college-age sitter who helps me out for a few hours on weekdays. Evenings, any HS age sitter would most likely be there while DD was sleeping, so I wouldn't mind if the person was young, as long as they were responsible.

I started babysitting neighbor's kids when I was 12 - No way would I have a 12 yo do it now.

[niccig]

We've recently started to use the soon-to-be 15 year old neighbour. Her parents are next door if she needs anything and she has 2 younger siblings a little older than DS who she babysits when her parents go out. I'm totally OK with this situation as DS is 5 years old. If he was a baby, then maybe not - it would depend on the babysitter. I have totally changed my stance on this, as I thought I would only use college aged babysitters all the time. But our neighbour is totally capable of playing with DS and putting him to bed.

We do have an older babysitter that is in grad. school. I use her if we need someone to pick DS up or do something that is more involved or for a longer period of time.

[swissair81]

It's funny because I started babysitting at 11 or 12. I come from a neighborhood where most people are from large families & most of them know how to handle little kids. Now that I have my own crazy, wild children, I'm a little more cautious. I think though, that it has less to do with age than responsibility. I have no problem with the 14 & 16 year old sisters who have a sister with CP & a brother with autism. I've been using them for a couple years. Also if they have 10 younger siblings (random made up number), I would use one of those kids as a babysitter, possibly even before I would use the 17 or 18 year old only child.

[♥ms.pacman♥]

i think it would really depend on the age of kid(s) and how they were. since i only have a 6month old, can't really comment. at this point, i'd only feel comfortable with an adult sitter (18+) with experience.

i remember starting to babysit around age 12. i often babysat one toddler (2 years old) on my own... and sometimes i sat for a brother/sister (ages 6 and 3). it was usually only 2-3 hrs at a time while the mom went to the pool or wherever, so i usually didn't have to deal with diapers/feeding or bathing/putting to bed. i think i only started babysitting evenings/nights when i was older, like 15.

for me, even when my son gets to be 2 or 3, no way would i let a 12 year old babysit, unless i was also inside the house with them (doing housework or something). a responsible 16-year-old that i knew well, probably.

it boggles my mind that i used to babysit toddlers alone at age 12. it was the norm then i guess. ever read "The Babysitters Club"? that was my favorite series, about a group of middle-schoolers and their adventures babysitting neighborhood kids. so funny, that would be so obsolete now.

[swissair81]

yeah & some of their babysitters were 10. that made me wonder, even then.

[egoldber]

For an hour or two here and there with one kid at a time, I've used a neighbor's DD who is 12. She does great with the kids one on one. Both of them together are a little harder, but only because younger DD is very stubborn and very high maintenance.

[jellibeans]

I would never leave an infant with someone that couldn't care for an infant...some teens are ready at 16 and some people aren't ready until they are 30! When my ds was 6 months, I started leaving him for an hour 3 times a week with a family friend's dd that was 12. The first time that she came over, I was holding my ds and he immediately took him from my arms and took him to play. I was impressed by her initiative and maturity. At 12, she acted a lot older. We have also used a different 14 year old girl and she also was mature enough to carry on a conversation with my husband and I and I made sure that she was capable of being alone with my dc's by hanging out in my bedroom while she fed them dinner. She even cleaned up my kitchen and put everything away!
A friend of mine had a 23 year old neighbor watch her 2 kids once. The 23 year old put her daughters diaper on backwards and put the kids to bed with food all over their faces.
So really, I think that age matters a little but some 12 year olds are more into babysitting (playing with the kids, following your directions, and being attentive) than a 17 year old that is into texting, cell phones, and her boyfriend. It all depends on the babysitter!

[kdeunc]

We have used sitters as young as 16 but not for all three kids. Most of ours (basically only 2 people) are 20-21.

I started sitting at 11 and by 13 was keeping a 3 month old a few mornings a week in the summer (and his 2 year old sister). There is no way on earth I would leave any of my kids with an 11 year old! Funny how your perspective changes! :)

[Green_Tea]

So really, I think that age matters a little but some 12 year olds are more into babysitting (playing with the kids, following your directions, and being attentive) than a 17 year old that is into texting, cell phones, and her boyfriend. It all depends on the babysitter!

I agree 100%. I used to use only college age or older sitters, but relaxed my age requirements once my children were a bit older. I was surprised and a little shocked to realize that a 15 year old who *loves* to babysit and is really dedicated to making a good impression was far more attentive to the kids and much more likely to follow my directions than the older sitters I used. My kids *beg* for the younger sitters because they're much more fun!

I remember sitting for a 2 or 3 week old baby and his older sister when I was 15. I was definitely a much better babysitter when I was 14-15-16 than when I was in college.

[okinawama]

I started using my next door neighbor last summer and at the time she was 15 and my son was 6months. She is and has always been wonderful with my little boy. I love that her parents are right next door should she need anything.

[belovedgandp]

I started babysitting at 12 (as I finished 6th grade). Summers when I was 14 and 15 I watched a 2 and 4 year old 20+ hours a week.

For my older ones and short periods of time, I've had a sitter as young as 11. Her mother was home across the street though. My "regular" paid sitters are 13-15 for two kids starting with younger one around 1. Haven't left all 3 kids yet. Probably want the baby a little older than 1 to juggle all of them.

I totally agree that the younger sitters actually play with the kids more. My mom was a big user of teenage babysitters for us as kids. She liked younger ones 13-15 for most things. She'd book them in advance. If you needed a sitter at the last minute then you call the 16-18 year old HS kids because they don't want to commit too early but if given the choice of staying home or babysitting they'd take the money.

[Corie]

I've only ever used babysitters in their 20s.

One was a first year English teacher at the high school.

The other was a nurse tech at our pediatrician's office.


There is NO way that I would ever let someone under 16 yrs. old
watch my children. Under no circumstances.

[Asianmommy]

The youngest sitter we've had was a senior in high school, age 17. Now that my kids are in grade school, I worry less, and might be OK with a 15-year-old, if she seemed responsible.

[maestramommy]

I have a daytime sitter who is 28, and married. She used to be a nanny and work in daycare centers. I also have a date night sitter who is 17. On one occasion she wasn't available, so her sister, who is 13, sat for us instead. She came to us as a mothers helper once (in fact we met her first), so we did know her. Our date night sitter doesn't really do much since we put the kids to bed before we leave. And we're gone less than 3 hours.

[baileygirl]

I have only used adult family members, but I am looking to find a good college aged babysitter. I would also like to find someone who could be a mother's helper, and then when my kids got older I would hopefully trust as a babysitter. I think it also depends on what kind of kids you have. I have two boys (3.5 and 1.5) and they are the type to want to be climbing the walls, instead of sitting at the table coloring.

For what it is worth, I started babysitting my younger brother for short periods of time around age 8 (he would have been 3-4) and other people's kids in 5th grade.

[bubbaray]

I feel OK letting our babysitter watch the girls. She started a couple of months before she turned 13, so grade 7 (last year -- she just finished grade 8 and will be starting grade 9 in September). Very mature, was already at the time a youth helper in their Sunday School agegroups. She is also a leader at DD#1's Francophone camp and is currently away across the country on a youth mission with our church.

I think it really depends on the child and the circumstances. We don't go far away and her parents are close by. Her mom is a preschool teacher and our church's Early Childhood pastor. We never left for long (1 hour or so) and were never far away (5-10 min drive).

[TwinFoxes]

For what it is worth, I started babysitting my younger brother for short periods of time around age 8 (he would have been 3-4) and other people's kids in 5th grade.

I bet these days someone would call the cops if an 8 year old was left to watch a 3 year old! ;)

I think a lot has to do with the ages of the kids as well as the sitter. I'm sticking with 16...even though the youngest we've actually had is an 18 year old!

[GaPeach_in_Ca]

We've never had a sitter under 22 or so. I can't imagine hiring a preteen or teen. Maybe when my younger one is a bit older.

I used to babysit from about 13, too, but I wouldn't hire myself at that age! :D I would totally avoid changing diapers and would leave the kids in their cribs to cry. Not what I want for my kids. Although, everyone was fine really.

[egoldber]

FWIW, I didn't start using the 13 year old until younger DD was almost 3. But after that I felt totally fine with her for short periods of time and one on one.

[luckytwenty]

We once allowed a 13 year old who lived next to us in our apartment building to watch our son, when he was a baby, but only because her mother was literally right next store, and we knew and trusted the mother. Also, this was after he was asleep for the night, so it was just having her deal if he woke up, which he didn't.

Aside from that (and this was a bit of an emergency) we've never used a sitter younger than 15. With a new baby on the way, we'd only use someone who had a lot of infant experience. Our current sitter (24 or so) worked as a nanny for a family with an infant before.

[vonfirmath]

Depends on who they were. I let the 11-year old daughter of a friend babysit my son when he was an infant.

There are 16 year olds I would not let babysit at all.