Mom Wondering Age for Sibling to Watch Younger Sibling

I would say it is fine, you think she is responsible, and it should be fine as long as you have a cell phone and you aren't too far away.Also ask her what she thinks! She may love or hate the idea, if she hates the idea, don't do it. I would pay her a few dollars so she knows it is her job to watch the kids.

hi S.,
please do not do this to your oldest child .
grammy

Hi S.,

It is not the responsibility of a sibling to parent younger siblings.

Find a family member or friend to take on that role of caring for the young.

Children need to be nurtured by adults not their peers.

Good luck. Thanks for asking. D.

I'm not so sure that 12 is too young, it's the fact that 2 is very young. I honestly didn't feel comfortable leaving my kids with anyone until they were old enough to really talk and communicate. Plus at 2 most little ones are into everything and tricky to watch period.
But i would think a 12 year old would be an ok sitter for a 6 year old, if a reliable adult was available next door or by phone if an emergancy arose, I just get freaked out about what i would do in an emergency as an adult, i can't imagine a young girl making a life or death decision.

maybe get her in a Baby Sitter certification program.

Personally, I think that is still too young. Better to hire a sitter around 16 or 17.

My oldest two are 12 and 13, they have had the babysitter certification. I just finally trusted them with my 5 and 7 year old. My husband and i will only go about 5 minutes away and for a short time. I think if you are comfortable and she is also it should be okay. If she can take the course first it will help. It teaches them cpr, first aid and many other important tips. If you are close by and in constant contact i don't see a problem. I can't say that i enjoy myself yet... i text and call a million times...but soon i should be able to enjoy the night out :)

I have 3 girls - 11, 6 and 6 months. I let my oldest watch the younger two often, at least once a week or if I need to run errands. The most important thing to look at when making this decision is the child's maturity and responsibility. I know 18 years old "adults" I wouldn't let watch the dog! Make sure who ever watches your child knows what do in an emergency. It would be a good idea, if you're going to let her babysit often, to get her certified in child CPR. Your local Red Cross should offer classes and they are usually free. A first aid course might not be a bad idea either. These classes would be good for the whole family. If, heaven forbid, an actual emergency should occur, everyone will know how to respond and knowing what to do/expect helps everyone to remain calm. Make sure she knows the family plan in case of a fire, too. If you take these precautions, you'll be more at ease and your family will be much safer. If the other children are going to be home also, you may want to think about how they will react to the oldest being in charge. You don't want the oldest fighting with the other ones while she's taking care of your baby.
Another little tip - When I first started letting my oldest babysit, I started with maybe half an hour or so and gradually worked up to a few hours. You don't want to leave her and then have her decide she can't handle it or just doesn't want to any more. I also took the baby's monitor, one of those ones with the TV type monitor, and hooked it up to the VCR with RCA cables. I hid the camera end in the living room and didn't tell my daughter about it. This way I could see exactly how she handled the situation/responsibility. (I bought mine at K-Mart for $100.) These monitors have come in handy for several other situations too and it has turned out to be a very good investment. We also used it to catch the neighborhood kid who kept causing mischief outside our garage. If you have a mini DVR or camcorder, it would work also. At first I tried using the DVR, but it only records about an hour and you have to make sure the batteries are charged. This situation could also be a good opportunity for a lesson on the value of money if you wanted to pay her for sitting.

i would say only u know her maturity level..id say as long as you r close and have people she knows close to utilize in an emergency..

how do they all get along? would imagine she has helped you lots. She is of baby sitting age and don't go far or that long.

I say it's too young as well. Better to be on the safe side & get an older sitter.

Hi S.,

I was going to say 12 is okay, until I read that you have four children and their ages. Although your 12-year-old may be very mature and loves to help you around the house and with the children, taking care of 3 is a bit too much responsibility, especially with your 26month old. Please ask an older adult (that you can trust) to be there at the house to monitor your children, especially the little one. You can still boost your 12-year-old's esteem by giving her other responsibilities and ways to help you. Yet, the care of 3 children may be a bit much. A great age for responsible, mature babysitting of siblings would be at least 17-18. Although your 12-year-old may be very, very mature, in an emergency will your 10-year-old and 9-year-old respect this older sibling and listen to their orders? If not, an adult's presence to monitor your childen if an emergency arises would be best.

Sincerely,

Advocate for Healthy Families, beginning with children