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When we lived in Albuquerque, both of the babysitters we used were boys. In my experience, they were more hands on with the kids then the girls we'd hired. They played high energy games with the kids, put on plays, etc. One night, he put them to bed early - they were all so exhausted! My kids LOVED them.
I have one boy and one girl. They are currently 8 (boy) and 6 (girl). Would I hire a boy again? In a heartbeat!
PS Girls can molest children just like boys can. Teach your kids about good/bad touching, raise them to know they are NOT allowed secrets with anyone other than Mommy and Daddy, and don't leave them with anyone who you don't know and trust (and know your sitter's parents too!)
Location: Stuck on the East Coast, hoping to head West
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sskkc
When we lived in Albuquerque, both of the babysitters we used were boys. In my experience, they were more hands on with the kids then the girls we'd hired. They played high energy games with the kids, put on plays, etc. One night, he put them to bed early - they were all so exhausted! My kids LOVED them.
I have one boy and one girl. They are currently 8 (boy) and 6 (girl). Would I hire a boy again? In a heartbeat!
PS Girls can molest children just like boys can. Teach your kids about good/bad touching, raise them to know they are NOT allowed secrets with anyone other than Mommy and Daddy, and don't leave them with anyone who you don't know and trust (and know your sitter's parents too!)
A lot of good points here, and a lot of maybe "irrational" ones, but who EVER said parenting would make a person behave RATIONALLY??? (Which could be a WHOLE NOTHA thread!)
I have 4 boys, have had both male and female sitters, and we tended to always go for the ones whom we knew the best, and who did the most with the kids. Let's face it, sometimes I wanted the cleaned-up kitchen and faces washed sitter, and other times I wanted the one who got on the floor to play with the kids and knew just how that dump truck was supposed to sound. It's a judgement call. I wish we could have only had family members sit, but that just was never in the cards....we lived too far away.
DS 1 has babysat for others, mostly just all-boys families, but once for some good friends of ours who were in a pinch (one boy, one girl)....and HE said he didn't want to make that a regular thing....too many bashful feelings on both sides at bedtime.
Wow. This whole thread is truly one of the most depressing I've read on this board. Not trusting males with kids.
Wow.
I agree. I am really shocked by the comments. Especially the boys/men are more likely to molest. Do you all really think that is true or maybe it is just reported more often?
As for why a young man would want to babysit. It is excellent money. My son worked all summer long for $10 an hour. He worked the late shift driving a forklift and working in a warehouse. My daughter can make better money babysitting. She can also set her own days and hours and doesn't have to pay taxes on it. It is easy work too. Most of the time she feeds the kids, puts them to bed and watches TV until the parents return. Pretty good gig.
The stereotype that males are immature and non nurturing is just bunk. I have known many young men, my son and his friends, who are mature, educated, responsible and straight men. I also know quite a few teenage girls that I wouldn't leave with my 7 year old. I might find him in the bottom of the pool while they are busy watching Project Runway and texting 6 friends at once. Gender does not make one mature or immature. It does not make someone nurturing or non nurturing and it certainly doesn't make someone a molester or not a molester. Each of us must make responsible and informed choices as to who babysits our children. That choice should be made based on the person, not the gender.
A lot of good points here, and a lot of maybe "irrational" ones, but who EVER said parenting would make a person behave RATIONALLY???
Irrationality is disgusting no matter what the excuse. People who are proudly irrational should, of all things, never be permitted to be around children.
Hey raising Perfectly acceptable to have a caring young fella babysit, especially for younger boys. They might feel a bit overwhelmed playing dress up or barbie dolls! At any rate, I think it is wonderful and a great way for responsible young fellas to learn more about childrearing and what it takes.
What? How is that insulting? It's just what they do, ask anyone!
I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks this thread is a sad display of how mothers can't trust anyone anymore, and are misdirecting their fear towards being massive sexists.
I currently don't know of any teenage boys who would want to babysit. And if they did, call me old fashioned, paranoid, I would wonder why they would have an interest. Usually boys can earn more money doing yard work or things of that nature.
As a former teenaged boy who did babysit, (I'm 53 now, and the father of 4 grown kids) let me give you some insight as to why I did it, even though I was already making money doing the yard work and things of that nature.
When I was a freshman and sophomore in high school, I was mowing lawns, washing cars, mucking out horse stalls, and cleaning the restrooms at a relative's gas station after school and on Saturdays, during the daylight hours. When the chance came to earn money after dark, sitting for the two young sons of a couple who owned a popular local nightclub, I jumped at it. I was a workaholic even back then, and being able to earn money during hours that had previously produced zero $$$ was a windfall in my estimation. I had record albums to buy and a car to save for, so I needed all the dough I could get my hands on. (my parents were old fashioned Depression era types, bless 'em for that.... If I wanted something, I had to pay for it)
As soon as I bought my first car during the summer after 10th grade, I resigned from my sitting job and never looked back. Now I wasn't tied to the neighborhood for chances to earn money, so my sitting days were over forever.
I guess, because they are male and I have girls. I'm sorry. With all the stories you hear about molestation, and I am in no way implying that I think your boys would do this, for ME, it would just seem like a risk. The one boy I would leave them with is a cousin of mine who is 17 and I would trust him implicitly with my girls. However, I have a nephew who is 15 and I would never leave my girls alone with him. Maybe it's just my gut reaction to the kids I know, but as the mother of girls (and maybe a neurotic one at that)-it's just not something that I want to have to worry about.
That being said, if it redeems me at all I have a 18 year old sister who I would NEVER trust to watch my girls right now.
food for thought:
My wife as a child was molested by her older cousin. So being family doesn't stop it.
I would say overall NO...teenage boys tend to be very immature and may have girls coming over and things of that nature...and an older man (other than a VERY good family friend or relative) would make me nervous
that's funny, we fired a female babysitter for having her boyfriend over.
It's amazing how sexist this country still is.
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Perfectly acceptable to have a caring young fella babysit, especially for younger boys. They might feel a bit overwhelmed playing dress up or barbie dolls! At any rate, I think it is wonderful and a great way for responsible young fellas to learn more about childrearing and what it takes.
