Is 13 an ok age to babysit?

[drako]

We have found a babysitter who is 13 years old and seems very mature. I am unsure if this is old enough to be home with DD who is 3 years old for a few hours while we are out. We would let our neighbors know we are out and give their numbers to the babysitter in the event of an emergency. We would be about 15 mins away. What age do you allow someone to babysit while out for a few hours?

[BabyBearsMom]

I definitely babysat when I was 13, but I don't know if I would be okay with a 13 year old babysitting my kids. It just seems so young. I feel like I would want at least 15/16 year old. But that is just me and I am a little over protective.

[lizzywednesday]

I think that a lot depends on the kid.

At 12 and 13 years old, I had regular baby-sitting gigs for my brother's friends and my sister's friends, but I had also demonstrated my competence and rapport with the children by being an unofficial (and unpaid) "mother's helper" at various points before I got my first gigs. And, well, being the eldest of 4 kids, a lot of my earliest baby-sitting experience was for my own siblings.

For my sister's friends, they'd have been about 4-5 years old; for my brother's friend, he was about 5-6 years old ... but he also had a deaf younger sister about 3-4 yrs old.

[daniele_ut]

I was reluctant to use a 12 or 13 year old when we moved here 4 years ago. DD was 1 and DS was 4 and we had a neighbor up the street who came highly recommended but was just 12. We gave it a shot, at first for things like going out to dinner nearby or to a movie. She turned out to be an amazing babysitter and 4 years later is still our favorite.

[maestramommy]

Our sitters here have started at 13-15. They've taken some sort of course at the local hospital, and we know them and their families fairly well. I think it's fine. Of course there may be hiccups on the way. One of our newer sitters was totally taken in by the girls. they somehow convinced her that Laurel was supposed to sleep with them. AFter she left we went to check on the kids, found Laurel's room empty of her and her (toddler) bed, and drag marks all the way to her sisters' bedroom:hysterical: She also assumed for some reason that she was supposed to stay with them until they fell asleep, called us at the restaurant not knowing what to do because Laurel kept sitting up and wouldn't go to sleep:hysterical: Our fault I guess for not explaining precisely what she ought to do, because we were literally her first gig. She's great though, and we made it clear to the girls what we expected from THEM the next time around. This girl's 16yo sister is much more experienced, so wouldn't have been taken in, and would already know certain things about bedtime. But it's all good.

[khalloc]

I babysat at age 10 as a mother's helper and then started staying home alone with this child at age 11. My parents lived right next door to the house where I was babysitting and my mom was always at home when I was babysitting when those parents were gone. So yeah, its totally doable. but at the same time I would be nervous about it with my own kids. I was very responsible at that time though. I took good care of that little boy I babysat for. It never involved feeding him (like cooking). Mostly we played in 1 small room and then I put him to bed.

[AnnieW625]

I babysat at age 10 as a mother's helper and then started staying home alone with this child at age 11. My parents lived right next door to the house where I was babysitting and my mom was always at home when I was babysitting when those parents were gone. So yeah, its totally doable. but at the same time I would be nervous about it with my own kids. I was very responsible at that time though. I took good care of that little boy I babysat for. It never involved feeding him (like cooking). Mostly we played in 1 small room and then I put him to bed.

Very similar situation although I was 12. Prior to that though at almost 11 though my mom let me stay home with my sister who was about 9-12 months old while she ran to the store or went to Good Friday mass (my sister was 9 months old). She was a three minute drive from home and I had neighbors on either side either college aged or parents who I could call if I needed help. Most of the time my sister just slept.

I started watching the neighbor kids who lived next door when I was 12 or 13 my mom was always home. This was pretty much true as well even when I was 16-20 and still watching those same kids as they got older.

To answer your question yes I think 13 is okay for an easy going 3 yr. old. We hired our DCP's older daughter at 26 mos. old to watch DD1 who was 16 months old at the time. We were 3 miles away and we both had our cell phones. We have had her younger sister who was just 14 sit for us with the two girls and she has been great as well. My girls were comfortable with he because they see/saw her on a daily basis.

[sidmand]

I felt funny about a 13 yo babysitter (FWIW, I'm still not sure her age but she's a Freshman in highschool so could be 14). We met her and she does not seem 13/14 at all. Very mature. Very good head on her shoulders. Much better than some adults I know!

She regularly babysat for our 4 yo and 7 yo for four to six hours. She's our summer sitter and we plan to use her next year as much as possible.

I totally think it depends on the person and you can't go by age (at least not totally).

[hillview]

I babysat kids at age 13 -- I had been a mother's helper for about a year before, I lived next door to the kids so my parents were very near by. Today I'd have a 13 year old for a couple of hours in the day to take the boys to the park etc but bedtime would be rough right now. WIth ONE 3 year old who was pretty easy going i'd do it.

[ahisma]

My DD started babysitting at 13 yo, for us and for friends' kids. She had younger siblings and knew that families that she worked for well; they had years of history watching her with their kids. She's almost 14 now and I still wouldn't be okay with her watching families that I don't know well. Apart from that, she's all good though. She does a great job and gets rave reviews. I think having a "spirited" baby brother really gave her a leg up.

[ladysoapmaker]

We started having DS#1 babysit around 13. (actually he looked at DH & I and said go out to dinner, I can feed the kids you guys need a break). It wasn't much and it was generally short times but he was very mature at that time. Still is. He's been babysitting for friends of our fairly regularly now and we still have him watch his siblings. Heck if DD#2 is being really unbearable he's sometimes the only one that can get her to bed without a fuss. (It is good birth control :hysterical:)

Jen

[Pyrodjm]

I would probably be fine with my 13yo watching younger siblings. Don't think I would allow her to babysit for non-family members before she was a bit older. But that's more a safety issue of her being in someone else's home alone and not knowing the house, the area and the neighbors like she would at home. I would prefer to seek out some a little older if I was looking for a sitter for my kids also.

I babysat my younger siblings regularly from the age of 11 on. We lived two doors down from my grandma, though and had neighbors that had know my dad since he has a child watching out for us too.

[Liziz]

I started babysitting my 2 y.o neighbor when I was 11. His baby sister was born a few months later, and I first babysat for him (at 2.5 now) and his 2 *week* old sister while I was still 11. I'm kinda amazed about that, looking back now. But, I practically lived at this neighbor's house -- In the summer, I would spend several hours a day playing with their 2 yo, feeding him, even putting him to bed (while the parents were home) -- so I guess they knew how I was with him. My mom also was always home while I babysat until I was ~14.

That all being said....in the right situation, I would definitely be okay with a 13 yo to watch my kiddo. I would probably do a couple mother's helper days first (where she is taking care of DD but I'm around the house doing other work), so DD could get to know her and I could get a good feel for how she interacts with DD.

[SnuggleBuggles]

That's when I started. I'd be fine with it if its the right kid.