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Forum -> Parenting our children -> School age children
At what age would you let your daughter babysit?



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amother
OP


 

Post Wed, Jul 15 2020, 7:26 pm
I may get different opinions in different areas, so just to specify this is in Lakewood. Wondering what age girls can start babysitting. My daughter says she wants to babysit for her cousins, but I feel like she’s too young. She’s 11.
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shmosmom




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jul 15 2020, 7:33 pm
Maybe at around 13-14 until 10PM, 15 til 11 PM or so.
At age 11 or 12 they can go babysit when auntie or uncle is home.

ETA- For the most part, I enjoyed babysitting as a teen. I had a lot of siblings and this was my time away in a quiet place to do homework or talk on the phone. I only got annoyed when people came home a lot later than expected, or if the kids really misbehaved when they should've been asleep.
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notshanarishona




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jul 15 2020, 7:33 pm
I personally started babysitting at 10 but that was a long time ago and I feel like it was a mistake for various reasons (a couple times emergencies came up and I wasn’t able to dral with them properly). Now I wouldn’t let my daughter before 14-15 years old.
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amother
OP


 

Post Wed, Jul 15 2020, 7:35 pm
Ok thanks, it feels way too young for me, I just don’t really have such a frame of reference, so wanted to make sure I wasn’t being overprotective.
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thunderstorm




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jul 15 2020, 7:43 pm
amother [ Tan ] wrote:
Maybe at around 13-14 until 10PM, 15 til 11 PM or so.
At age 11 or 12 they can go babysit when auntie or uncle is home.

I would agree with this. This is basically how I did it myself.
At age 11 I was babysitting a lot during the day but the parents of the children were home. I basically kept the kids out of their parents hair by keeping them entertained for a few hours.
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amother
Amber


 

Post Wed, Jul 15 2020, 8:03 pm
I let my (very responsible) 11 year old daughter babysit during the day- in my Lakewood development when I was home, so I was less than a block away if she needed me. She was one of the oldest girls in the area and she was asked constantly to babysit. When I wouldn't allow jobs at night or when I wouldn't be home the standard response was "Don't worry. I'm okay with that." I still said no.

PSA: If your daughter is babysitting and does not have a phone, please make sure there's a landline or that the parents leave a cell! (And make sure you're comfortable with your daughter using that cell..)
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ra_mom




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jul 15 2020, 8:49 pm
At age 13, only on the block for neighbors I know. Only if they have a home phone, only until 9:30pm. Increased from there.
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tweety1




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jul 15 2020, 8:54 pm
My DD started babysitting at 13 in my home when I stayed local and I knew it won't be more than an HR; I also let a neighbor know in case of emergency she should know she can knock on somebody's door. At 14-15 I trusted her for 2-3 hrs and also made sure that nobody is using the phone so she can call me right away if she needs.
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amother
Purple


 

Post Wed, Jul 15 2020, 9:13 pm
13 y I dd cud only babysit for my sister And maybe 1 close friend and only till 9:45.

As a young tween I babysat a lot by others and I got to see read and hear things I shouldn’t have been exposed to! Therefore I will encourage dd to rather do chesed or earn money in other ways.
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tweety1




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jul 15 2020, 9:37 pm
amother [ Purple ] wrote:
13 y I dd cud only babysit for my sister And maybe 1 close friend and only till 9:45.

As a young tween I babysat a lot by others and I got to see read and hear things I shouldn’t have been exposed to! Therefore I will encourage dd to rather do chesed or earn money in other ways.

I don't let my DD babysit just by anybody's house. My siblings, my very good friend-she also has a DD so we made an arrangement if I need a babysitter or she needs a babysitter we send each other DD, DD very close friend from school since they're preschool age is my next door neighbor so I have that arrangement with her too, other than that she's not the neighborhoods babysitter. It's houses that I know very well for many yrs. My DD never does it for money. It's always a favor. I would never let her take money.
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smss




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jul 15 2020, 9:44 pm
Depends on the kid more than the age.
I haven't used an 11yo yet, but I have a 12yo who babysits for me who's more responsible and capable than many high schoolers I've used.
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amother
Purple


 

Post Wed, Jul 15 2020, 10:49 pm
tweety1 wrote:
I don't let my DD babysit just by anybody's house. My siblings, my very good friend-she also has a DD so we made an arrangement if I need a babysitter or she needs a babysitter we send each other DD, DD very close friend from school since they're preschool age is my next door neighbor so I have that arrangement with her too, other than that she's not the neighborhoods babysitter. It's houses that I know very well for many yrs. My DD never does it for money. It's always a favor. I would never let her take money.


Not to scare you but even the closest ppl to u and the most solid, holy, trustworthy might have a house Ill equipped for a teenager if they have only lil kids...the graphic adult books left around and dvds etc...that most ppl know to keep stored away is not obvious to those young couples that have only lil babies in their house
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Hashem_Yaazor




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jul 15 2020, 11:35 pm
Some states have a legal minimum. I know Maryland law is 13.
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amother
Goldenrod


 

Post Wed, Jul 15 2020, 11:35 pm
11 is still a child and way to young to babysit. I don't let before 13-14. 13 only my own kids and during the day. 14 local at night. At age 15 I'd feel more comfortable for longer hours at night.
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singleagain




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jul 15 2020, 11:41 pm
I'm sorry. I can't resist. This is a minute of John Mulaney talking about this exact thing

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shabbatiscoming




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Jul 16 2020, 7:32 am
My daughter has been babysitting in our yishuv since she was 10. Not till extremely late, but maybe until 9:30. We know the families and she has a cell phone if they dont have a home phone.
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amother
Ginger


 

Post Thu, Jul 16 2020, 7:36 am
I barely let my kids stay home alone at age 10 in our own home.
I don’t think I’d let before 13/14. And I’m not even over protective.

I know nj doesn’t have laws.
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Aylat




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Jul 16 2020, 8:43 am
Interesting how different the norms are in Israel and Lakewood.

tweety1 wrote:
. My DD never does it for money. It's always a favor. I would never let her take money.


Why? I think it's great for teens to start earning money. They learn responsibility and how to handle finances. My DD14.5 has been babysitting for a while and does regular weekly jobs. She buys herself extra clothes sometimes, goes out for pizza or ice cream with her friends, and has saved up a nice amount.
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