You guys are so over the top.

Expect more from your teen. I know many very mature and capable teenagers. It totally depends on the teen.

My kids were babysitting newborns by 15/16. They were completely capable.

I was 15 when I babysat my neighbor's weeks old baby. They also had a 2 year old and a 4 year old, and I had been babysitting them for the for at least a year. This was in the early 90s.

Anonymous wrote:Teens and babies do not mix. If the teen can't handle the babies crying they may throw the baby. I've heard it happen.

Adults have done it too. My friend's (now teen) niece has permanent brain damage from being shaken as an infant by a caregiver.

Newborns are easy. They eat, sleep and poop.

The teenager needs to be very mature and the babysitting time just a couple of hours, 3 tops and at night is best (when baby is mostly asleep).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Y'all realize that teens took care of newborns for several millennia in human history right?

Teens these days are so infantilized by their parents that it’s an entirely different proposition from a time when 12 year olds were regularly having their own children.

+1

If it were their sibling, not yournger than 16 and only if I felt they could handle it. Babysit someone else's child, probably at 18?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Y'all realize that teens took care of newborns for several millennia in human history right?

Teens these days are so infantilized by their parents that it’s an entirely different proposition from a time when 12 year olds were regularly having their own children.

Agree. But also, the way to get experience is to actually DO things, which anxiety-ridden parents never let their kids do! That said, I didn’t let anyone watch my newborn baby except my our parents. I mean newborns are tiny and helpless and need special care…so…while I would let my own 16 accept a job, I would never hire a 16 yo to do the job.

16
But as the parent of a newborn I’d be more discerning, LOL

Anonymous wrote:Y'all realize that teens took care of newborns for several millennia in human history right?

Thanks for this helpful post. You are brilliant.

I do think it’s great for teens to get some experience with babies, especially family members if a parent is around. I had zero experience with babies when I had my own and it was overwhelming!

Anonymous wrote:Never. I wouldn't leave my newborn with anyone except my own mother and my husband, unless I had absolutely no choice.

What about his mom?

Never. I wouldn't leave my newborn with anyone except my own mother and my husband, unless I had absolutely no choice.

Anonymous wrote:Y'all realize that teens took care of newborns for several millennia in human history right?

Teens these days are so infantilized by their parents that it’s an entirely different proposition from a time when 12 year olds were regularly having their own children.

Anonymous wrote:Never.

I refused to leave my children as babies with teenagers. They just don’t have the judgment and shouldn’t be expected to take on so much responsibility.

Their brains (especially part responsible for making good decision) don’t finish developing until mid twenties.

I would not want my teen babysitting anyone younger than 5-6.

Same here.