At what age did YOU babysit?

[Anonymous]

I started babysitting at age 10 in 1970. By age 12, I was booked every single weekend and often a night or two during the week. By the time I was 16 and old enough for a real job, I was making so much money babysitting, I never bothered to find work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People think 13 is too young because they are not raising children to become adults. They are raising little entitled brats who will be 50 years old with a high school mentality. But really, they can't help it because they are immature themselves.

I think it's more that people can't imagine trusting a 13 year old with their kid, not that they necessarily think their own 13 year old is an entitled brat.

[Anonymous]

12. I was a responsible 12yo, but still only 12. I can't believe people trusted me with their children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:12 and I can remember leaving the baby in the bathtub to answer the phone. I'm so glad he survived!

Oh, and another time my friend came with me and the baby was asleep when we arrived. She wanted to see how cute he was so we woke him up and kept him up for hours playing.

I doubt you're alone. No one likes to admit it. They all pat themselves on the back for being little entrepreneurs.

I used to let my toddler nephew cry himself to sleep, while I watched The Young and the Restless. Sure, I never set the house on fire, never opened the door for strangers, but still...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:12 and I can remember leaving the baby in the bathtub to answer the phone. I'm so glad he survived!

Oh, and another time my friend came with me and the baby was asleep when we arrived. She wanted to see how cute he was so we woke him up and kept him up for hours playing.

I doubt you're alone. No one likes to admit it. They all pat themselves on the back for being little entrepreneurs.

I used to let my toddler nephew cry himself to sleep, while I watched The Young and the Restless. Sure, I never set the house on fire, never opened the door for strangers, but still...

not alone

[Anonymous]

age 12, mid 80's

[Anonymous]

13, mid-80's, after taking the Red Cross babysitting course at the firehouse at Old Georgetown Road and Cedar Lane.

[Anonymous]

I was 11 in 1986. I was booked every weekend and most nights during the week.

[Anonymous]

11or 12 years old. A neighbor 2 houses down was a single mom and she worked from home, so I started out watching her two boys. It was great experience for me.

I was one of the only teenage girls in my neighborhood, and there were about 15 families that I regularly babysat for on weekends/school holidays.

As I got older, I ventured out into other neighborhoods, particularly after I could drive. I don't know why more teenage girls don't do it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:11or 12 years old. A neighbor 2 houses down was a single mom and she worked from home, so I started out watching her two boys. It was great experience for me.

I was one of the only teenage girls in my neighborhood, and there were about 15 families that I regularly babysat for on weekends/school holidays.

As I got older, I ventured out into other neighborhoods, particularly after I could drive. I don't know why more teenage girls don't do it!

that was worded wrong. I meant to say I don't know why more teenage girls don't babysit! It's a great way to make extra money.

[Anonymous]

12, in the 70s. But for a long time the only kid I babysat was the daughter of our next-door neighbor, so my mom was right there if I'd needed anything.

[Anonymous]

In the 80s at age 11 for 2-3 kids under 5.

[Anonymous]

Also 12, in 1982. I remember babysitting a tiny infant (4 months old, I think) when I was 16. I remember two things about that experience: she wouldn't stop screaming until she just fell asleep from exhaustion, and then finally, when she did fall asleep, I went downstairs to watch a movie. A tape said "Weird Science" so I put it in the VCR. It was hardcore porn. Did I stop watching it? No.

[Anonymous]

12 years old in the mid-eighties for my brothers and then at age 14 other kids. I took care of a 3 mo old infant every day after school until he was over a year old when I was 14.

[Anonymous]

Started at 11, by 12 was watching 4 kids (all under 5), including an infant. I was super responsible and was very good to the kids, but still, I look back and thing WTF was the mom thinking?