13 and 9 home alone together - two hours away for about 7 hours? (All day time hours)

[Anonymous]

I do this all the time with my 12 and 10 year old boys. They leave each other alone and do their own thing for the most part. It depends on the individual Kids of course, but it’s perfectly fine with my kids and we’ve had no issues. 12 year olds in my neighborhood are babysitting, I can to conceive of getting a babysitter for my sixth grader!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do not leave my 13-year-old boy home to babysit his younger sibling. I've tried it for an hour here and there, and it's 50/50 - they play together, or he neglects her and himself. Plenty of other 13-year-olds would do great.

This. I have a 13 yo boy and 10 and 8 year old girl and boy. The 13 (almost 14) is ok on his own, but I can't leave him in charge of the other 2. No way. The one time I did, a month ago, for about 2 hours, they managed to overflow the toilet. Something that never happens otherwise. They don't listen or respect him the way they would an older, unrelated, sitter. And he just sits and plays video games not really watching or entertaining them.

[Anonymous]

My 13yr old babysits infants.

Stop babying your teens!!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 13yr old babysits infants.

Stop babying your teens!!!!

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would 100% incentivize the 13yo to be with the 9yo.

That means:

- watching a movie together that the 9yo picks
- craft making together (obviously something simple, like a bead bracelet)
- board game together
- video games together

All will be good if the 13yo understands their responsibility here.

And I would not make it public to the 9yo that the 13yo is getting paid or getting a reward.

HAHAHA. You don't have boys, that one thing is certain.

And no, the 13 year doesn't have to cater to the whims of younger sibling. The 9 year old can learn to share and negotiate what they watch and is equally responsible as appropriate for their age level.

But I would be fine with it if there were neighbors or friends close by that they could call if needed.

I do have a boy. Almost the exact same age. 14yo boy. 10yo girl.

And my boy is a wonderful older brother who would happily spend time with his little sister. And we would thank him for be responsible and caring to his younger sister with a small reward afterwards

You’re horrible!

What? Why? why would it be horrible to reward him for caring for his sister?

It would be a token of appreciation. He probably wouldn't want to make a bead bracelet with his little sister, but he would. He probably wouldn't want to watch a musical, but he would.

So as a thank you, we would get him a little something he's wanted. What's so horrible about that?

Keyword: small

If he’s a mother’s helper or babysitter, he should be properly payed.

[Anonymous]

Yes! Left a list of chores too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would 100% incentivize the 13yo to be with the 9yo.

That means:

- watching a movie together that the 9yo picks
- craft making together (obviously something simple, like a bead bracelet)
- board game together
- video games together

All will be good if the 13yo understands their responsibility here.

And I would not make it public to the 9yo that the 13yo is getting paid or getting a reward.

HAHAHA. You don't have boys, that one thing is certain.

And no, the 13 year doesn't have to cater to the whims of younger sibling. The 9 year old can learn to share and negotiate what they watch and is equally responsible as appropriate for their age level.

But I would be fine with it if there were neighbors or friends close by that they could call if needed.

I do have a boy. Almost the exact same age. 14yo boy. 10yo girl.

And my boy is a wonderful older brother who would happily spend time with his little sister. And we would thank him for be responsible and caring to his younger sister with a small reward afterwards

You’re horrible!

What? Why? why would it be horrible to reward him for caring for his sister?

It would be a token of appreciation. He probably wouldn't want to make a bead bracelet with his little sister, but he would. He probably wouldn't want to watch a musical, but he would.

So as a thank you, we would get him a little something he's wanted. What's so horrible about that?

Keyword: small

If he’s a mother’s helper or babysitter, he should be properly payed.

If it was a babysitter, it would be different. But an older child caring for a young sibling is just part of being a family. So no, you don't get paid like a babysitter. But you will get a token of appreciation.

Man, you guys will always find something to complain/criticize here, wontcha

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 13yr old babysits infants.

Stop babying your teens!!!!

Agree. It's like we are in this weird alternative universe where a 13 year old can not be trusted to just sit at home and do nothing. There are millions of 13 year olds around the world who toil in fields, herd sheep, walk for miles to fetch water, all far away from the eye of an adult.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 13yr old babysits infants.

Stop babying your teens!!!!

Agree. It's like we are in this weird alternative universe where a 13 year old can not be trusted to just sit at home and do nothing. There are millions of 13 year olds around the world who toil in fields, herd sheep, walk for miles to fetch water, all far away from the eye of an adult.

Exactly!!! But yet they all have phones and can watch anything adult or horrific on a screen.

It’s embarrassing how backwards and lazy annd helpless our country is becoming. Immigrants are coming right in to take over, as they should.

[Anonymous]

I think this is risky

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would 100% incentivize the 13yo to be with the 9yo.

That means:

- watching a movie together that the 9yo picks
- craft making together (obviously something simple, like a bead bracelet)
- board game together
- video games together

All will be good if the 13yo understands their responsibility here.

And I would not make it public to the 9yo that the 13yo is getting paid or getting a reward.

HAHAHA. You don't have boys, that one thing is certain.

And no, the 13 year doesn't have to cater to the whims of younger sibling. The 9 year old can learn to share and negotiate what they watch and is equally responsible as appropriate for their age level.

But I would be fine with it if there were neighbors or friends close by that they could call if needed.

I do have a boy. Almost the exact same age. 14yo boy. 10yo girl.

And my boy is a wonderful older brother who would happily spend time with his little sister. And we would thank him for be responsible and caring to his younger sister with a small reward afterwards

You’re horrible!

What? Why? why would it be horrible to reward him for caring for his sister?

It would be a token of appreciation. He probably wouldn't want to make a bead bracelet with his little sister, but he would. He probably wouldn't want to watch a musical, but he would.

So as a thank you, we would get him a little something he's wanted. What's so horrible about that?

Keyword: small

If he’s a mother’s helper or babysitter, he should be properly payed.

If it was a babysitter, it would be different. But an older child caring for a young sibling is just part of being a family. So no, you don't get paid like a babysitter. But you will get a token of appreciation.

Man, you guys will always find something to complain/criticize here, wontcha

No, it’s assh0le parents taking advantage of the older kid.

[Anonymous]

No

[Anonymous]

I’m a middle school teacher but not a parent (so maybe my opinion doesn’t matter….) it would entirely depend on the kids, their dynamic and personalities. There are some kids I wouldn’t worry about at all in this scenario. And there are others I wouldn’t even consider allowing this

[Anonymous]

I think this comes down to “know your kids”. I’m 43yo, grew up in an affluent NYC suburb. It was normal for me to be a “latch key” kid at 4th grade for 2-3hrs after school. Sometimes I was bored, a few times I did things I shouldn’t have. By 6th grade I was babysitting for the neighbors kids. By 7th grade I would be home alone for sure all day if I was home sick, and remember babysitting during the odd teacher work day. Parents were usually at least an hour away, going into the city. Not only “it was fine because I survived” it really was fine. I would make sure the kids have a plan for the day, food, rules about cooking or not, how to order food, who to call in an emergency etc. My oldest is 12.5 and thrives on the responsibility.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would 100% incentivize the 13yo to be with the 9yo.

That means:

- watching a movie together that the 9yo picks
- craft making together (obviously something simple, like a bead bracelet)
- board game together
- video games together

All will be good if the 13yo understands their responsibility here.

And I would not make it public to the 9yo that the 13yo is getting paid or getting a reward.

HAHAHA. You don't have boys, that one thing is certain.

And no, the 13 year doesn't have to cater to the whims of younger sibling. The 9 year old can learn to share and negotiate what they watch and is equally responsible as appropriate for their age level.

But I would be fine with it if there were neighbors or friends close by that they could call if needed.

I do have a boy. Almost the exact same age. 14yo boy. 10yo girl.

And my boy is a wonderful older brother who would happily spend time with his little sister. And we would thank him for be responsible and caring to his younger sister with a small reward afterwards

You’re horrible!

What? Why? why would it be horrible to reward him for caring for his sister?

It would be a token of appreciation. He probably wouldn't want to make a bead bracelet with his little sister, but he would. He probably wouldn't want to watch a musical, but he would.

So as a thank you, we would get him a little something he's wanted. What's so horrible about that?

Keyword: small

If he’s a mother’s helper or babysitter, he should be properly payed.

If it was a babysitter, it would be different. But an older child caring for a young sibling is just part of being a family. So no, you don't get paid like a babysitter. But you will get a token of appreciation.

Man, you guys will always find something to complain/criticize here, wontcha

No, it’s assh0le parents taking advantage of the older kid.

It's really really not. I come from a big family. I was in the middle.

Caring for each other is part of a family's responsibility. Its what actually makes you a family.

If you reduce it to a financial transaction, you're not really a family anymore; you're just people living under a roof together