Anonymous
Post 04/15/2026 12:59     Subject: Can you rest while supervising a 5-year-old?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP - anyway you can come up with a reason you can't be at home - study group etc. it might suck for a few weeks - but if you can get your homework done without interruption, you can start getting to sleep earlier and have more energy in the afternoon.

And this might be out of left field - but do you have very heavy or frequent periods? Or do you not eat a lot of red meat? If so - you might be anemic. I was severely anemic in high school and looking back on it - I was more exhausted than I was during pregnancy!


If the 5 yr old can occupy herself while OP sleeps, then the 5 yr old can occupy herself while OP does homework. But this isn’t really a hw issue. No way OP has that much homework that she has no other choice but to go to bed at 12-1am, due to babysitting twice per week. C’mon. Many high schools do sports every single day after school and don’t get home until after 6


She does have sports and practice goes as late as 9pm.


BS. Clearly a troll. The weirdo dysfunctional absent/neglectful family OP is describing is not picking OP up from school, driving her to babysit, driving her back home, driving her to practice after babysitting , picking up from practice, etc. And then chest pain, headaches, etc. Not believing this
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2026 12:22     Subject: Re:Can you rest while supervising a 5-year-old?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:How old are you?

14, but I turn 15 in a couple months.


Holy crap! I was picturing 17. This is not okay. Do your parents know about your headaches and chest pains? You need to see a doctor and you need more sleep. Maybe see if once a week babysitting would be a compromise. This is so shitty that she does not pay you. I am guessing she was required to babysit you when you were young and she feels like she is owed this.

My dad said headaches are normal and that I need to toughen up instead of complaining. My sister was never expected to babysit me when I was young.


Your Dad is an unfit parent.
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2026 12:13     Subject: Re:Can you rest while supervising a 5-year-old?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:How old are you?

14, but I turn 15 in a couple months.


Holy crap! I was picturing 17. This is not okay. Do your parents know about your headaches and chest pains? You need to see a doctor and you need more sleep. Maybe see if once a week babysitting would be a compromise. This is so shitty that she does not pay you. I am guessing she was required to babysit you when you were young and she feels like she is owed this.

My dad said headaches are normal and that I need to toughen up instead of complaining. My sister was never expected to babysit me when I was young.
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2026 11:33     Subject: Can you rest while supervising a 5-year-old?
No chance you can sleep while watching a 5 year old. They are little whirlwinds of curiosity and destruction.
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2026 11:32     Subject: Can you rest while supervising a 5-year-old?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP - anyway you can come up with a reason you can't be at home - study group etc. it might suck for a few weeks - but if you can get your homework done without interruption, you can start getting to sleep earlier and have more energy in the afternoon.

And this might be out of left field - but do you have very heavy or frequent periods? Or do you not eat a lot of red meat? If so - you might be anemic. I was severely anemic in high school and looking back on it - I was more exhausted than I was during pregnancy!


If the 5 yr old can occupy herself while OP sleeps, then the 5 yr old can occupy herself while OP does homework. But this isn’t really a hw issue. No way OP has that much homework that she has no other choice but to go to bed at 12-1am, due to babysitting twice per week. C’mon. Many high schools do sports every single day after school and don’t get home until after 6


She does have sports and practice goes as late as 9pm.
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2026 11:31     Subject: Can you rest while supervising a 5-year-old?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Do homework while watching the 5-year-old and go to bed earlier. You are so tired in the afternoon because you're going to bed late. If you went to bed earlier, you'd be more able to do homework earlier in the afternoon.

You might not be able to get it all done with the 5-year-old there, but you should be able to get a good chunk done so that you don't have as much to do in the evening.


My freshman had 2 AP classes plus and the rest honors and didn’t have more than 1-2 hrs of homework per night, tops. Some nights none. I don’t believe homework is preventing OP from getting to bed before midnight. This is likely a troll


My kid easily had 2-3 hours in 9th grade. Keep in mind it takes longer and the brain works slower when you are tired so it is a vicious cycle but how can she fix that.
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2026 11:28     Subject: Re:Can you rest while supervising a 5-year-old?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:How old are you?

14, but I turn 15 in a couple months.


Holy crap! I was picturing 17. This is not okay. Do your parents know about your headaches and chest pains? You need to see a doctor and you need more sleep. Maybe see if once a week babysitting would be a compromise. This is so shitty that she does not pay you. I am guessing she was required to babysit you when you were young and she feels like she is owed this.
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2026 11:18     Subject: Can you rest while supervising a 5-year-old?
Report your sister for neglect.
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2026 10:53     Subject: Can you rest while supervising a 5-year-old?
Anonymous wrote:OP - anyway you can come up with a reason you can't be at home - study group etc. it might suck for a few weeks - but if you can get your homework done without interruption, you can start getting to sleep earlier and have more energy in the afternoon.

And this might be out of left field - but do you have very heavy or frequent periods? Or do you not eat a lot of red meat? If so - you might be anemic. I was severely anemic in high school and looking back on it - I was more exhausted than I was during pregnancy!


If the 5 yr old can occupy herself while OP sleeps, then the 5 yr old can occupy herself while OP does homework. But this isn’t really a hw issue. No way OP has that much homework that she has no other choice but to go to bed at 12-1am, due to babysitting twice per week. C’mon. Many high schools do sports every single day after school and don’t get home until after 6
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2026 09:30     Subject: Can you rest while supervising a 5-year-old?
OP - anyway you can come up with a reason you can't be at home - study group etc. it might suck for a few weeks - but if you can get your homework done without interruption, you can start getting to sleep earlier and have more energy in the afternoon.

And this might be out of left field - but do you have very heavy or frequent periods? Or do you not eat a lot of red meat? If so - you might be anemic. I was severely anemic in high school and looking back on it - I was more exhausted than I was during pregnancy!
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2026 07:40     Subject: Can you rest while supervising a 5-year-old?
Anonymous wrote:Do homework while watching the 5-year-old and go to bed earlier. You are so tired in the afternoon because you're going to bed late. If you went to bed earlier, you'd be more able to do homework earlier in the afternoon.

You might not be able to get it all done with the 5-year-old there, but you should be able to get a good chunk done so that you don't have as much to do in the evening.


My freshman had 2 AP classes plus and the rest honors and didn’t have more than 1-2 hrs of homework per night, tops. Some nights none. I don’t believe homework is preventing OP from getting to bed before midnight. This is likely a troll
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2026 07:36     Subject: Can you rest while supervising a 5-year-old?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:100% NO you are being paid to watch a child. What if the child left the house or lit a piece of paper on fire.


I’m not getting paid—she’s my niece, which I should’ve mentioned. I asked other parents what they do with their 5-year-olds and was wondering if she’s old enough.


Even if it's free - you are NOT a parent. Parents have way, way more information about the temperament of the child, the risks in the household, are way more attuned to the child, and in general have way more information and essentially resources that might make napping while their kid is playing a safe choice.

You are NOT a parent. What parents do is NOT relevant. A babysitter (paid or unpaid) does not nap on the job. Period.

I think what parents do matters here—I'm her aunt, so I’m close enough to have some insight into her situation.


If you already know the answer, why did you feel the need to ask?

Clearly you were hoping people would tell you it's okay, but it isn't. Because you are not the parent. If anything bad happened it would ruin your family relationships.

I asked because I didnt know whether parents of 5 year olds sleep while their child is awake. What age is that okay?


Never. If you are the babysitter, you don’t sleep while you are watching her. I don’t do this as a parent. You would be better served doing your homework while watching her, so you can get to bed earlier. But I have a hard time believing you get so much homework as a freshman that you can’t complete it in a reasonable time after 6pm, even if you don’t work on it babysitting. Why are you only getting 5 hrs of sleep?
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2026 07:31     Subject: Can you rest while supervising a 5-year-old?
Of course not. Is this a serious question? If you actually are contemplating this, why are you not asking her parents?
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2026 07:15     Subject: Re:Can you rest while supervising a 5-year-old?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:How old are you?

14, but I turn 15 in a couple months.


So a 9th grader struggling with sleep and health issues, forced to babysit for a sibling 6 hours a week for free?

Yeah, absolutely none of this is okay. You need to talk to your school nurse or counselor or someone.
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2026 07:14     Subject: Can you rest while supervising a 5-year-old?
Do homework while watching the 5-year-old and go to bed earlier. You are so tired in the afternoon because you're going to bed late. If you went to bed earlier, you'd be more able to do homework earlier in the afternoon.

You might not be able to get it all done with the 5-year-old there, but you should be able to get a good chunk done so that you don't have as much to do in the evening.