what age was your youngest babysitter?

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Forum -> Parenting our children -> Teenagers and Older children

What age was your youngest babysitter?

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yo'ma

Wed, Sep 17 2008, 8:31 am

Yesterday in class we were talking about r"h and y"k and one of my students asked if I go to shul. I told her no because I have little kids and I don't think they belong in shul. I just go for shofar blowing. She asked why don't I let them stay by themselves shock

at home. My oldest is 10 and she is too little to watch 4 kids, let alone one all by herself. Another student said that 10 is not too young shock

, her cousin watches her younger siblings all the time. I just couldn't believe it.

I put this in the teen section b/c I figured that would be a more normal age for babysitting.

Seraph

Wed, Sep 17 2008, 8:39 am

to answer your question, 48.
But yea. Tongue Out

I think I would let a 10 year old watch one kid. 2, maybe, depending on their ages and type. 3? unless they were really easy kids, probably not.
I probably would let a 12 or 13 year old watch 4 kids, if not for so long.

Ruchel

Wed, Sep 17 2008, 8:41 am

A teen helper, ok. A teen babysitting with me not there... no way, unless I KNOW she's extremely trained and used to it. Definitely not the random teen girl who does babysitting for pocket money.

Clarissa

Wed, Sep 17 2008, 8:43 am

My youngest babysitter was 19, but I'd probably go as young as 17, if I was leaving the house. If I was home and it was more of a mother's helper thing, I'd go younger than that.

I would not leave my ten year old at home with his little brother. What if there was a fire in the building? There's no way he would know how to handle the situation.

Seraph

Wed, Sep 17 2008, 8:46 am

Oh, its definitely cultural. Israelis are much more liberal on this. I've seen a 3.5 year old "babysitting" her 1.5 year old brother. shock

I would never go that young. But I remember growing up in suburban midwest, I was a mothers helper at age 10, babysat at age 12.

Lady Godiva

Wed, Sep 17 2008, 8:51 am

No way!!! to leaving a ten year old as a babysitter or alone at home.
My youngest babysitter was 15 with her mom across the street to help and me a couple of blocks away. Any younger than that would scare me.

shosh

Wed, Sep 17 2008, 9:00 am

I'm lucky if I can even find a babysitter! But I would try not to take anyone under 14 when they were little. The oldest one is 12, and he has said occasionally that I should try leaving him with six younger siblings. Needless to say, I don't unless it's to go out in an emergency to the local makolet, which is all of five minutes away or anywhere else just as close. And always with my cell phone. Nowadays if I go out, my minimum age is 16.

Raisin

Wed, Sep 17 2008, 9:46 am

I think 14 or 15, but only becasue we were going to be right next door. if it is further afield, I usually use 18 years +. it's actually easier to find university students willing to babysit, then younger girls.

I once met some friends in the supermarket. they were israelis living here for a year. they told me they had lef their 3 kids, oldest of whom was 6 or 7, at home (5 minutes drive) watching a dvd. the oldest had a phone on him so he could call if there was a problem.

also in america, I've seen people happily leaving kids with 12 year olds. In fact there is a whole series of books - the babysitters club. I'm sure those kids are not much older then 12.

for some reason people think it is ok during the day, but at night it is dangerous. I'd be far more worried about leaving kids who are wide awake and causing trouble with a young girls then a bunch of sleeping kids.

tovasmom

Wed, Sep 17 2008, 10:12 am

Wow! I feel like a negligent parent! I have left my two ds's (when they were preschool age) with a very responsible 12 year old whose parents were home across the street. I have also left the younger three with my oldest dd from the time she was about 13 also while advising the next door neighbor who was home at the time that we were not home and to keep an eye. My oldest dd has been babysitting for others since she's about 13 1/2, and all of her friends babysit (they are now in the 14 range).

Clarissa

Wed, Sep 17 2008, 10:37 am

Seraph wrote:

Oh, its definitely cultural. Israelis are much more liberal on this. I've seen a 3.5 year old "babysitting" her 1.5 year old brother. shock

I would never go that young. But I remember growing up in suburban midwest, I was a mothers helper at age 10, babysat at age 12.

After Madeleine McCann was kidnapped, I hope people realized that leaving such a young child on her own is insane.

Did any of you ever have a fire in your building? We did, on a Shabbat a few months ago. I posted about it here. I was the only one who heard the fire alarm, and I looked out our peephole and our hall was filled with smoke. We grabbed the kids and went down seven flights to the lobby. We hung out there (in our pajamas, surrounded by neighbors) while the fire department came in and dealt with it. The neighbor who started the fire, from one floor down, died. I shudder to imagine how my older kid would have handled this, having to get out and also get his little brother down the seven flights. Maybe on his own he could have gotten out safely, but with a squirmy toddler? Frightening thought.

grin

Wed, Sep 17 2008, 10:43 am

Clarissa wrote:

Did any of you ever have a fire in your building? We did, on a Shabbat a few months ago. I posted about it here. I was the only one who heard the fire alarm, and I looked out our peephole and our hall was filled with smoke. We grabbed the kids and went down seven flights to the lobby. We hung out there (in our pajamas, surrounded by neighbors) while the fire department came in and dealt with it. The neighbor who started the fire, from one floor down, died. I shudder to imagine how my older kid would have handled this, having to get out and also get his little brother down the seven flights. Maybe on his own he could have gotten out safely, but with a squirmy toddler? Frightening thought.

that's scary. My 8 yr-old is a mother's helper often - while the mother's nearby - my 13-yr-old babysits for the neighbors and I've definitely left the younger kids with my dd when she was that age. I guess we trust them to deal with the ordinary, not anything more. But you definitely gave me food for thought!

Raisin

Wed, Sep 17 2008, 10:46 am

Clarissa wrote:

Seraph wrote:

Oh, its definitely cultural. Israelis are much more liberal on this. I've seen a 3.5 year old "babysitting" her 1.5 year old brother. shock

I would never go that young. But I remember growing up in suburban midwest, I was a mothers helper at age 10, babysat at age 12.

Wow, scary. how old is your son? Because anyway, in general, girls show a lot more initiative usually then boys, especially with younger kids.

as for the madeline macann story, I still can't believe someone left 3 toddlers alone. I shudder to think what mischeif they could get up to by themselves in an apartment.

(btw, I have a mental image in my head of assorted people in thier pajamas huddled in a lobby. I'm sure it would've been funny, if it wouldn't have been scary.)

raspberry tea

Wed, Sep 17 2008, 10:58 am

I wouldn't leave her on a shabbos when we can't communicate over the phone. But, I have no probelm leaving my ten year old with her 4 younger syblings to babysit. It depends on the kid, she happens to be very mature. It also depends on the situation, I'm not going to leave her with the kids running wild. If we have seder and everything is running smoothly I have no problem...I'm not going to go to far.

octopus

Wed, Sep 17 2008, 11:02 am

babysitter? what babysitter? I never go out! LOL

Truth is, when my sister was 18 she babysat a few times for me.

The rare times I ever go anywhere, either my parents or in-laws watch the kids.

But I started babysitting when I was 13- for people in my apt. building. But my mom was a few steps away...

Clarissa

Wed, Sep 17 2008, 11:08 am

Raisin wrote:

Clarissa wrote:

Seraph wrote:

Oh, its definitely cultural. Israelis are much more liberal on this. I've seen a 3.5 year old "babysitting" her 1.5 year old brother. shock

I would never go that young. But I remember growing up in suburban midwest, I was a mothers helper at age 10, babysat at age 12.

My son is almost 10. He's pretty mature in some ways, but it's not easy handling a toddler who likes to go his own way, and with the halls smoky, it's hard to think straight and maintain one's composure. My heart was pounding like crazy, and I'm an adult.

I live in a big building, so there were a lot of people in the lobby. There I was, in my cookies 'n milk pajamas. I'd thrown a jacket on, but it just covered the top. My older kid, who hates anybody even seeing his pajamas in the laundry basket (he's really weird about these things) had to stand there in his with no jacket, and he was miserable about it. I must say, some of the neighbors' pajamas in my building are quite nice.

grin

Wed, Sep 17 2008, 11:15 am

Clarissa wrote:

I live in a big building, so there were a lot of people in the lobby. There I was, in my cookies 'n milk pajamas. I'd thrown a jacket on, but it just covered the top. My older kid, who hates anybody even seeing his pajamas in the laundry basket (he's really weird about these things) had to stand there in his with no jacket, and he was miserable about it. I must say, some of the neighbors' pajamas in my building are quite nice.

Oh my!
this is totally OT, but we had a small fire in our house once and 2 of the kids had to run out in their PJ's. B"H I"m makpid on tzniyus ones.

Last edited by grin on Wed, Sep 17 2008, 11:15 am; edited 1 time in total

heffer569

Wed, Sep 17 2008, 11:15 am

My 12 yr old sister baby sits for me everyday after school for my two 5 month old kids. My mom is usually a few blocks away but im a good half hour drive away. She is very responsible and I have no problem with it. My mom used to leave us home alone with a non english speaking nanny from when we were first born. I remember being 3 my 2 yr old bro fell under the swingset. I remember calling my friends mom who came over and took him for stitches and all was well. It wasnt such a big deal we were trained what to do in an emergency from early on. I also used to stay by myself with my sibs overnight from when I was 14 and my mom left a 2 week old with me at that point cause she was taking my bro to yeshiva out of town.

amother

Wed, Sep 17 2008, 11:19 am

Clarissa wrote:

I was 16 when my sister was born. My mother was with her in the NICU, and my father had gone to visit once the kids were asleep for the night. There was a college-age girl living in an apartment upstairs, and a boy in grad school in another apartment. I was in the shower when I heard the fire alarm.. I threw on a robe and somehow got the six younger siblings who were home out of the building...we were on the fourth floor...it was REALLY scary, and I was scared when I went into the shower for months after...

catonmylap

Wed, Sep 17 2008, 11:39 am

12 year old with parents in the building with a sleeping baby.

Newsie

Wed, Sep 17 2008, 11:55 am

My youngest babysitter was 13- kids were sleeping, her mother was two houses down (plus, her mother was our daytime babysitter) The baby actually woke up and she took her out, gave her a bottle and was reading her a book to calm her. I was so impressed. (She was from a VERY large family)

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