Can a 16yo watch a 12yo overnight, every night?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just looked up requirements to get an ATC and doesn't qualify unless she had her 16 yr old when she was 16!

"Why do you have to be under 30 to be an air traffic controller?
One, you can't apply for training once you turn 31 years old before the closing date of the application period. There are limited exceptions, but the FAA through research has determined that the older a person is, the harder it is for them to complete the training.Jun 30, 2023."

To get and to be are two very different things.
Also, OP said it was like not that is was and not that she was in training…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If it were me, and I were one of those kids, I would much rather deal with this then losing all income and ending up in dire financial straits.

The HHI financial responsibility should not be foisted on a 16 year old.

There’s a lot of “shoulds” in the world - that doesn’t change the facts of the reality of the options at hand.

[Anonymous]

I think it's fine. Just try to take care of dinner prep to make it easy for them to have healthy ish meals, tell them how much you appreciate their flexibility, and don't treat them like your therapist or vent to them about your adult problems. Basically, make sure you are still shouldering the mental burden of being the parent, and they just need to do their homework and not burn down the house while you're gone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Assume the parent works overnight. What are your honest thoughts on a (mature, responsible) 16yo and a (mature, responsible) 12yo (both girls) watching themselves 3-4 days a week. The alternative is the parent loses their job, which is niche (think air traffic controller) and salary not easily found elsewhere without experience. Other parent not in picture.

Yes it's fine imo. I did it when I was younger than 16. Just have them message you right bf they go to bed and right when they wake up, set specific times, have a friend/neighbor that can be there if emergency.

[Anonymous]

Assuming a mature 16 year old? I'd be fine with it. I mean honestly your options are not great unless you can do some sort swap maybe providing a bedroom for an "adult" to live with you to watch the kids. Obviously something like this is best for a close friend or relative, but that could be hard to find.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it's fine. Just try to take care of dinner prep to make it easy for them to have healthy ish meals, tell them how much you appreciate their flexibility, and don't treat them like your therapist or vent to them about your adult problems. Basically, make sure you are still shouldering the mental burden of being the parent, and they just need to do their homework and not burn down the house while you're gone.

This.

[Anonymous]

3-4 days a week is fine. I agree with others that there should be some compensation for your older child. It can be done in a trial basis and if it isn’t working you pivot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Assume the parent works overnight. What are your honest thoughts on a (mature, responsible) 16yo and a (mature, responsible) 12yo (both girls) watching themselves 3-4 days a week. The alternative is the parent loses their job, which is niche (think air traffic controller) and salary not easily found elsewhere without experience. Other parent not in picture.

A 12 year old can stay by themself, what's the issue?

I used to babysit 3 kids, ages infant - age 4, when I was 12!

The entitlement here is showing greatly. Yes, this is fine

Just because you did does not make it fine.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Assume the parent works overnight. What are your honest thoughts on a (mature, responsible) 16yo and a (mature, responsible) 12yo (both girls) watching themselves 3-4 days a week. The alternative is the parent loses their job, which is niche (think air traffic controller) and salary not easily found elsewhere without experience. Other parent not in picture.

No. It is not ok. A 16 yr old is still a child a she should not be put in a permanent situation where she is responsible for a younger sibling. You are putting the responsibility of HHI on a teenager and this is unconscionable.

This is parentification and unless it’s very short term and finite, not acceptable.

Not ideal but likely single parent losing all or a significant portion of their income would leave everyone in a worse situation.

Tough.

So it would be better for them all to end up homeless?

No. You find another job.

Thanks to ninny mommies like you, this is the least capable generation in American history.

Yes, a 16 year old can care for a sibling overnight.

Not on a permanent basis which is what OP is proposing.

Yes, they can. I lived by myself at 16. This is ridiculous.

dp Was it ideal? Would you want to do it again?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:3-4 days a week is fine. I agree with others that there should be some compensation for your older child. It can be done in a trial basis and if it isn’t working you pivot.

op said EVERY night

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:3-4 days a week is fine. I agree with others that there should be some compensation for your older child. It can be done in a trial basis and if it isn’t working you pivot.

op said EVERY night

She did not. “ watching themselves 3-4 days a week. ”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Assume the parent works overnight. What are your honest thoughts on a (mature, responsible) 16yo and a (mature, responsible) 12yo (both girls) watching themselves 3-4 days a week. The alternative is the parent loses their job, which is niche (think air traffic controller) and salary not easily found elsewhere without experience. Other parent not in picture.

A 12 year old can stay by themself, what's the issue?

I used to babysit 3 kids, ages infant - age 4, when I was 12!

The entitlement here is showing greatly. Yes, this is fine

Bread used to cost five cents a loaf. Times have changed.

[Anonymous]

Definitely. I did something very similar for my little brother and a) he was younger, b) I was not particularly mature, and c) pre-cell phone era. It’s fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People used to get married at 16, just saying.

In this day and age, I'd say it's fine if your older child is responsible and knows how to respond in an emergency.

This is such a LAME argument. People used to do a lot of things that we don't consider right in today's world.

What's lame is that you think there is an absolute right and wrong here.

Also, more broadly speaking, as a society there are plenty of things we used to do or ways of doing things, that we'd actually benefit from if they returned.

[Anonymous]

I think in your situation it’s fine. Can you put cameras up outside house and an alarm system? I would also tell the least amount of people as possible outside of your core network support in case you get busy bodies putting their nose in where it doesn’t belong.