Anonymous wrote:No interest in hiring a male babysitter. I’m sure your son is great but it’s higher risk.

Not at all true whatsoever. Females are more likely than males to abuse children.

I started babysitting at 12 myself.

Makes are much more likely to commit sexual assault. They are also less mature generally.

I’m guessing you had more of a community in Austin that knew and trusted your family and thus your son.

My children (5&7 year old girls) would not be comfortable with a male babysitter

No interest in hiring a male babysitter. I’m sure your son is great but it’s higher risk.

This is anonymous so I will be honest. I am not hiring a male to watch my children. My children are males. I don’t want them influenced or encouraged to see this as normal for men.

14 is too young

It’s a biological fact that teenage boys mature more slowly than teenage girls, and are statistically far more prone to commit violence or sexual abuse. Even most extremely liberal parents are highly unlikely to select a teenage boy over a teenage girl if selecting an anonymous babysitter. If your son truly wants to find babysitting gigs he needs to find a way to forge these connections in advance to prove himself and not rely on replying to random postings.

Anonymous wrote:TBH, although we are very progressive and open minded, I would not trust a male babysitter around my kids.

Its just weird. sorry not sorry.

+1
Also I wouldn't have a 14 yo as anything other than a mother's helper

Correct. The DMV is very conservative, though they think they're progressive. One of several reasons we left.

Anonymous wrote:TBH, although we are very progressive and open minded, I would not trust a male babysitter around my kids.

Its just weird. sorry not sorry.

+1

They are not common here but I can’t imagine they were super-common in Austin, either. Sounds like your son just found an accepting group and was able to capitalize.

I think it’s both age and gender. People around here are always looking for college students. And if 14 would be too young for a girl it’s crazy young for a (typical) boy.

Well, 14 seems a little young to me, but I hire male sitters often (in fact our regular sitter is a man, though he’s older and has a son of his own that’s my son’s age—he’s in training to switch careers).

TBH, although we are very progressive and open minded, I would not trust a male babysitter around my kids.

Its just weird. sorry not sorry.

Last summer we moved from Austin to Alexandria for my spouse’s job. My 14 year old son had a thriving babysitting business where we lived. He basically gave up his social life to be available to babysit from 12 on. When we moved up here, in spite of responding to every request he or I see on our local FB group with the ability to provide references, he has gotten all of two jobs. They weren’t regular parents going out, just a we need someone to care for our and other kids during an at home party.

It makes him sad and frustrates me. He is CPR trained and went through our local Res Cross babysitting class. The feedback he and I received was the kids loved him much more than other female babysitters. He got a lot of repeat business and referrals.

I wish I knew what to do.