Age to babysit siblings at night

[Anonymous]

Starting around 12, my DC strongly preferred to be the babysitter rather than me hiring someone. I pay $5/hour and she has to actually earn the money by supervising the younger siblings (not be on a screen the whole time).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Never, they are not the 13 year olds responsibility. Your kids. Use the sitter.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Starting around 12, my DC strongly preferred to be the babysitter rather than me hiring someone. I pay $5/hour and she has to actually earn the money by supervising the younger siblings (not be on a screen the whole time).

You’re underpaying her.

[Anonymous]

We started at age 12.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Never, they are not the 13 year olds responsibility. Your kids. Use the sitter.

+1

Nope.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for the thoughts and advice. All helpful. Yeah, I was planning to pay the eldest and thinking about incentive pay for the other two.

I guess my big question is does the eldest go to sleep if parents are out late? Ours definitely needs her sleep and is usually asleep at the same time as our youngest or just after. Middle kid is the night owl.

I'm the one with six kids. When one of them is babysitting, we just say that one goes to sleep last. After the younger ones are in bed and settled. They don't have to wait until the others are asleep, but they have to be settled in bed, lights out (or secretly reading with a flashlight).

Oh, that works. She can definitely be last in bed and I know she’d be helpful with her brother. But do they go to sleep? Obviously a paid babysitter isn’t usually falling asleep at your place.

Sure. They're in bed, in pjs, so it's fine to go to sleep.

Yep. I mean, you sleep while your kids sleep and the little ones are old enough to find the oldest if they need something

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Never, they are not the 13 year olds responsibility. Your kids. Use the sitter.

+1

Nope.

NP here - at what age then? Bring a sitter until the youngest is…..how old?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Never, they are not the 13 year olds responsibility. Your kids. Use the sitter.

+1

Nope.

Ok, bad parent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Never, they are not the 13 year olds responsibility. Your kids. Use the sitter.

FFS. Do you really think that over the course of human history people have gotten sitters in these circumstances? No. Don’t mollycoddle them. Teach your teens responsibility and have them watch the younger ones for a few hours. THAT is good parenting.

[Anonymous]

If the sibling dynamic works, I would be ok with this on a weekend night if you wanted to go out for a bit and kids were fine to have movie night with some popcorn and mostly wait up.

But I wouldn't put her in charge of bedtime on a school night. She probably has homework or reading and such she would want to do those evenings anyhow.

[Anonymous]

It’s perfectly fine and pay is optional. Some of these parents are ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Never, they are not the 13 year olds responsibility. Your kids. Use the sitter.

A babysitter for a teenager?!?!?

My daughter has been a mother’s helper since 10 and a babysitter (even at night) since 12. At 13 she now cooks dinner twice a week, and has over 2 grand saved up from babysitting and per service jobs.

How embarrassing how much you coddle your kids. RAISE THEM TO BE INDEPENDENT SO THEY ARE PREPARED FOR ADULTHOOD!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Never, they are not the 13 year olds responsibility. Your kids. Use the sitter.

A babysitter for a teenager?!?!?

My daughter has been a mother’s helper since 10 and a babysitter (even at night) since 12. At 13 she now cooks dinner twice a week, and has over 2 grand saved up from babysitting and per service jobs.

How embarrassing how much you coddle your kids. RAISE THEM TO BE INDEPENDENT SO THEY ARE PREPARED FOR ADULTHOOD!!!

It’s not about her age, it’s about special treatment based on something they can’t control.

[Anonymous]

OMG- you guys are all crazy.

We started leaving my kids at home with their eldest sibling in charge shortly after their 13th birthday. They were 7 and 10 at the time. We know all of our neighbors really well and if there was an emergency the kids knew to run over and ask for help.

We pay her $10 an hour but I don't think that is necessary.

I was watching my baby sister and putting her to bed by the time I was 12.

[Anonymous]

Mine just turned 12 and 9 (boys) and I’m to the point where if we go to dinner I wouldn’t. get a sitter.