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Sorry, I would hire a responsible 12 year old before I hired an adult to baby-sit. I would wonder why an adult would want to and what their angle is....especially someone with a master's degree.
This sad statement just staggers me. We have only ever hired adults (i.e. someone over 18) to look after our kids and would not consider a 12 year old to look after a 2 year old, no matter how mature. Too much responsibility to place on someone who is still a child and the stakes are too high.
I don't see danger lurking in every corner of my own home (hopefully I've taken care of any long before this) and I think many adults these days vastly underestimate teenagers these days. It saddens me that you think that your child can only be around adults and have that low opinion of teens. What are you going to do when your's are that age? Keep telling them they aren't responsible?
Part of this could be that though I have a kid, who I adore, I am also not a big kid/baby person. I don't get why an adult would want to be with children that are not their own unless in a professional capacity. (And babysitting is not 'professional'.)
Part of this could be that though I have a kid, who I adore, I am also not a big kid/baby person. I don't get why an adult would want to be with children that are not their own unless in a professional capacity. (And babysitting is not 'professional'.)
But lots of people do love to be around children. And despite how you want to define "professional" babysitting is a job and there are plenty of folks out there who need jobs.
Most of the babysitters I have used work as nannies as a main job. This is often not a full time job if the kids who need the nanny are old enough to be in school. They look for shorter jobs to make up more hours in the week. The babysitters I have employed all have far more experience with children than I do and I have picked up some useful parenting tips from them. I don't understand why someone would actually prefer a pre-teen unless it was to save money.
I don't see danger lurking in every corner of my own home (hopefully I've taken care of any long before this) and I think many adults these days vastly underestimate teenagers these days. It saddens me that you think that your child can only be around adults and have that low opinion of teens. What are you going to do when your's are that age? Keep telling them they aren't responsible?
Part of this could be that though I have a kid, who I adore, I am also not a big kid/baby person. I don't get why an adult would want to be with children that are not their own unless in a professional capacity. (And babysitting is not 'professional'.)
The last time I checked 12 is not a teenager. There is a difference between a 12 year old and a 15 year old. Also, a 12 year old can be responsible for a 12 year old and not mature enough to look after a 2 year old. I don't think one has anything to do with the other.
Also, I don't have low opinions of teens at all. I don't think teens would be offended if I told them that I prefer adults to watch my 2 year old. They would probably think that is reasonable. I taught high school for 8 years - I love kids and being around their energy. I saw sides to them that parent do not. At the end of the day, I want to be able to hold whoever is watching my child fully accountable for whatever happens - good or bad. I feel like with a 12 year old, I cannot. For the record, I am referring to my 2 year old only as the OP asked.
Yes. I have in the past and would do it again. Of course it depends a great deal on the 12 year-old.
They aren't raising the kids or teaching them algebra, they are entertaining them for a few hours and keeping them safe. I find younger teens are fun and full of energy, and my kids loved having them as babysitters.
Yes. I have in the past and would do it again. Of course it depends a great deal on the 12 year-old.
They aren't raising the kids or teaching them algebra, they are entertaining them for a few hours and keeping them safe. I find younger teens are fun and full of energy, and my kids loved having them as babysitters.
Yep, I have and I would again. The worst sitter we ever had for our kids was in college. Our neighbor started sitting for us when she was 12 and would always bring crafts and stuff for the kids, they love her.
Btw I think it totally depends on the child. While I don't allow my nearly 10yr old to babysit she totally could without issue. Now my 7yr old will probably need to be 18
Yep, I have and I would again. The worst sitter we ever had for our kids was in college. Our neighbor started sitting for us when she was 12 and would always bring crafts and stuff for the kids, they love her.
Btw I think it totally depends on the child. While I don't allow my nearly 10yr old to babysit she totally could without issue. Now my 7yr old will probably need to be 18
Agreed. The worst we had was a high-schooler who spent her time texting and doing her make-up.
My 10 year-old has been a Mother's Helper since she was 8. She's really good at it, takes it very seriously, and makes good money. My 13 year-old really wants to babysit, I'm not so sure he's observant enough.
I'm pretty sure that in my state even "helpers" and "assistants", not just the teachers, at licensed day care centers and preschools must be at least 18 years old and, at the very minimum, have a high school diploma or GED plus two child development classes.
Nope they don't. Yes at corps they do. Try preschools at churches, the Y, even summer day camps, they have young people working so they pay them less. Trust me a lot of sneaky stuff goes on.
When I was 12 I babysat a very small baby, probably between 4-6 months old. I remember the parents being very late in coming home that night, and the baby wouldn't stop crying. I didn't know what to do and it was disorienting for me, I thought I had done something wrong. The mother assured me that her son was very colicky and he often cries through the night. It made me feel better about my abilities, but I think that was a turning point in deciding not to have children of my own :P
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