How much to pay 12 year old sitter

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm confused, I have being called to babysit 12 years old so their parents have time to go out. In my opinion, it's safe to hire a 12 years old to play with Toddlers while you work from home, so an adult is present just in case. Livingston children with children is not safe. In fact is illegal.

Exactly, as a sitter I have been hired to watch numerous 13-17 year olds with no younger children in the house. I can't see how it would be a good idea to hire a 12 year old to watch babies.

I was babysitting a one year old when I turned 12. At night, generally for four to six hour. We played, we read books, we snuggled, and I put him to bed after changing his diaper and singing to him. If by the time my daughters are 12 they do not seem capable of doing the same, whether or not they choose to, I will take a hard look at my parenting and feel I've failed to raise them correctly. My children will NOT have a nanny or babysitter at that age, unless it's overnight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm confused, I have being called to babysit 12 years old so their parents have time to go out. In my opinion, it's safe to hire a 12 years old to play with Toddlers while you work from home, so an adult is present just in case. Livingston children with children is not safe. In fact is illegal.

Exactly, as a sitter I have been hired to watch numerous 13-17 year olds with no younger children in the house. I can't see how it would be a good idea to hire a 12 year old to watch babies.

I was babysitting a one year old when I turned 12. At night, generally for four to six hour. We played, we read books, we snuggled, and I put him to bed after changing his diaper and singing to him. If by the time my daughters are 12 they do not seem capable of doing the same, whether or not they choose to, I will take a hard look at my parenting and feel I've failed to raise them correctly. My children will NOT have a nanny or babysitter at that age, unless it's overnight.

Yes, but you were babysitting ONE child. Not two small children. ONE.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A 12 year old is too young to watch two children without another adult in the house. MAYBE, maaaybe, if she was only watching one child, who she already was familiar with, who was between 2.5 years old and 6 years old, then MAYBE it would be okay (but still illegal? I'm pretty sure she would have to be 13 or 14 before it was legal). But if you have a child under 2 that would be difficult, if you have a child over 6 that would be difficult (they might see her as more of a peer and not listen to her like they would to an adult), and having two children together with a 12 year old?? No way, absolutely not.

I am a nanny, and a family I babysit for occasionally, who has a 2 year old and a 5 year old, had a piece of paper drawn in crayon, sitting on their kitchen table when I arrived a couple months ago. It was a "coupon for babysitting," given to their mother by a 12 year old neighbor. I remarked about how cute it was (she obviously had had fun drawing it, complete with teddy bears and smiley faces), and the mother laughed and said "yeah, maybe I'll take her up on that in a few years." I'm sorry, but no matter how earnest and "mature" this twelve year old is, she is NOT equipped to handle two kids all by herself!

Another nanny trying to overstate how hard her job is. =/

Go away, troll.

[Anonymous]

I was watching twin 3 year olds when I was 13! It was my orthodontists children and I would watch them for date nights from about 7-10 and they gave me $10/hr.

Please ignore the idiots saying 12 is way too young. Unless it's an infant, a 12 year old is capable of watching 2 kids for 2-3 hours.

[Anonymous]

This is not a good idea, OP. 12 is just too young to do anything longer than a 1/2 hour while you are right nearby. It's a fine age for mother's helper work (occupy the kids in the house or outside nearby while mom does other things) but 2 - 3 hours of real babysitting - not a good idea.

- MB

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm confused, I have being called to babysit 12 years old so their parents have time to go out. In my opinion, it's safe to hire a 12 years old to play with Toddlers while you work from home, so an adult is present just in case. Livingston children with children is not safe. In fact is illegal.

Exactly, as a sitter I have been hired to watch numerous 13-17 year olds with no younger children in the house. I can't see how it would be a good idea to hire a 12 year old to watch babies.

I was babysitting a one year old when I turned 12. At night, generally for four to six hour. We played, we read books, we snuggled, and I put him to bed after changing his diaper and singing to him. If by the time my daughters are 12 they do not seem capable of doing the same, whether or not they choose to, I will take a hard look at my parenting and feel I've failed to raise them correctly. My children will NOT have a nanny or babysitter at that age, unless it's overnight.

Yes, but you were babysitting ONE child. Not two small children. ONE.

I could handle two, and I did, when I turned 13 and new neighbors moved in with a 1 yr old and 4 yr old. Really, some kids CAN babysit with no problem. I started babysitting at 12, and in my entire life called home exactly TWICE to get help from my parents. Once was when the baby was crying but the mom had told me not to go in (cry it out) and hearing him cry was making me cry, and once when a pilot light went out and I asked my dad to come over to re-light it.

[Anonymous]

Unless her Mother will be accompanying her, I don't think it is a wise idea to let someone so young watch your two children.

She just doesn't have the life experience + knowledge that someone who cares for young children should possess.

[Anonymous]

To all of you stating that it's illegal, it likely isn't. Contrary to popular belief, most states do not have a concrete age where you can leave children alone. Issues arise when kids get into trouble, hurt or something happens while you are not there where CPS or the police can get involved. If the kids can be left alone without any issues then it's usually legal. That being said, there are a few states that have an age limit, so that is something you need to research yourself.

I was babysitting at 12. My previous charge started babysitting at that age as well. Obviously it depends upon the kid as to how mature they are and how much they can handle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was watching twin 3 year olds when I was 13! It was my orthodontists children and I would watch them for date nights from about 7-10 and they gave me $10/hr.

Please ignore the idiots saying 12 is way too young. Unless it's an infant, a 12 year old is capable of watching 2 kids for 2-3 hours.

If you watched them from 7-10 at night that means they slept more than half the time you were there. The OP was very specific that this is DAY TIME babysitting. Sitting around while the kids sleep for two hours at night is very different than spending the morning or afternoon with them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To all of you stating that it's illegal, it likely isn't. Contrary to popular belief, most states do not have a concrete age where you can leave children alone. Issues arise when kids get into trouble, hurt or something happens while you are not there where CPS or the police can get involved. If the kids can be left alone without any issues then it's usually legal. That being said, there are a few states that have an age limit, so that is something you need to research yourself.

I was babysitting at 12. My previous charge started babysitting at that age as well. Obviously it depends upon the kid as to how mature they are and how much they can handle.

Wrong. It is illegal in MD for a babysitter to be younger than 13. (Google it).

DC and VA do not have laws that specify babysitter ages, but I found these two websites (Loudon and Fairfax County's guideline pages for babysitters), very interesting....

http://www.loudoun.gov/supervision
(Loudon recommends that 12 year olds act only as mothers helpers, with a parent present, and that 13 year olds not be responsible for children under 4, and babysit for no more than 3 hours.)

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dfs/childrenyouth/selecting_babysitter_eng.htm
(Fairfax county recommends 13 as the minimum acceptable age for a babysitter)

[Anonymous]

Is it legal.

[Anonymous]

OP here, my kids are 4.5 and 6.5 year old. They have been inside the house together alone when my husband and I have been outside doing yard work or shoveling snow for up to 3 hours or more and have not had problems. They also play alone outside (in a fenced yard) for a few hours, coming in and out of the house to get things but I don't watch over them. This is a trial, I am going to leave them alone for 1 to 2 hours and be there the rest of the time to see how it goes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To all of you stating that it's illegal, it likely isn't. Contrary to popular belief, most states do not have a concrete age where you can leave children alone. Issues arise when kids get into trouble, hurt or something happens while you are not there where CPS or the police can get involved. If the kids can be left alone without any issues then it's usually legal. That being said, there are a few states that have an age limit, so that is something you need to research yourself.

I was babysitting at 12. My previous charge started babysitting at that age as well. Obviously it depends upon the kid as to how mature they are and how much they can handle.

Wrong. It is illegal in MD for a babysitter to be younger than 13. (Google it).

DC and VA do not have laws that specify babysitter ages, but I found these two websites (Loudon and Fairfax County's guideline pages for babysitters), very interesting....

http://www.loudoun.gov/supervision
(Loudon recommends that 12 year olds act only as mothers helpers, with a parent present, and that 13 year olds not be responsible for children under 4, and babysit for no more than 3 hours.)

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dfs/childrenyouth/selecting_babysitter_eng.htm
(Fairfax county recommends 13 as the minimum acceptable age for a babysitter)

I missed where the OP said she lived in MD? That's right, because she didn't. I clearly stated in my post that MOST states do not have a minimum age for staying alone and it's not illegal in MOST (NOT ALL) states. You clearly can't read.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To all of you stating that it's illegal, it likely isn't. Contrary to popular belief, most states do not have a concrete age where you can leave children alone. Issues arise when kids get into trouble, hurt or something happens while you are not there where CPS or the police can get involved. If the kids can be left alone without any issues then it's usually legal. That being said, there are a few states that have an age limit, so that is something you need to research yourself.

I was babysitting at 12. My previous charge started babysitting at that age as well. Obviously it depends upon the kid as to how mature they are and how much they can handle.

Wrong. It is illegal in MD for a babysitter to be younger than 13. (Google it).

DC and VA do not have laws that specify babysitter ages, but I found these two websites (Loudon and Fairfax County's guideline pages for babysitters), very interesting....

http://www.loudoun.gov/supervision
(Loudon recommends that 12 year olds act only as mothers helpers, with a parent present, and that 13 year olds not be responsible for children under 4, and babysit for no more than 3 hours.)

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dfs/childrenyouth/selecting_babysitter_eng.htm
(Fairfax county recommends 13 as the minimum acceptable age for a babysitter)

I missed where the OP said she lived in MD? That's right, because she didn't. I clearly stated in my post that MOST states do not have a minimum age for staying alone and it's not illegal in MOST (NOT ALL) states. You clearly can't read.

Right...but she didn't say that she doesn't live in MD. She should know it's illegal there, in case she does live there. Saying that I can't read is...over the top, to say the least. Take a chill pill, lady.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm confused, I have being called to babysit 12 years old so their parents have time to go out. In my opinion, it's safe to hire a 12 years old to play with Toddlers while you work from home, so an adult is present just in case. Livingston children with children is not safe. In fact is illegal.

Exactly, as a sitter I have been hired to watch numerous 13-17 year olds with no younger children in the house. I can't see how it would be a good idea to hire a 12 year old to watch babies.

Depends on the circumstances. I was babysitting for a few hours when I was 12 but my parents hired a sitter when they went out of the country on a vacation