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My thoughts are no, just because 12 is so young, but then I realize that I was babysitting at 12 and I was pretty good at it. My friend isn't sure what to do. It's not a family member, it's a teen girl's sister. I referred her to the 16 year old girl but she's too busy with her schoolwork so her sister wanted to help. She was selling herself with babysitting and CPR, lol, kind of cute.
In our area if you don't use the 12 year old babysitters, you don't have babysitters. It would depend on the 12 year old but yes, I would use her if she was good. Age doesn't always correspond to how good they are at babysitting. If the 12 year old has done the Red Cross Babysitting courses, is CPR certified, has older siblings that babysat, I would give her a chance for sure.
In our area if you don't use the 12 year old babysitters, you don't have babysitters. It would depend on the 12 year old but yes, I would use her if she was good. Age doesn't always correspond to how good they are at babysitting. If the 12 year old has done the Red Cross Babysitting courses, is CPR certified, has older siblings that babysat, I would give her a chance for sure.
I agree with this statement. I was babysitting at age 12. It really depends on the person! Meet her first and judge for yourself if she will be a good fit.
Actually, in many ways I would trust a 12 year old more than a 16 year old. Of course all teens are different, but I would think that the younger girl would likely be more attentive to the child and more respectful to the parents' home and rules, whereas the older girl might be more prone to distractions etc.
Depends on the kid. We let our oldest son, then 12, babysit his 2 year old brother. Really depends on both the 12 year old and the 2 year old. For some reason our kids are very well behaved, never had them break stuff, get into things they shouldn't, play with fire/guns/electricity so for our oldest his little brother is pretty easy. Just put on Depsicable Me and give him a waffle with peanut butter on it and he's good to go. Take him down to the park in a wagon, easy peezy. Other 2 year olds I've seen? I wouldn't trust them with an armed guard, sheesh.
If there is any concern at all about the 12 year I would suggest that your friend have her "babysit" for a few hours while the mom is in the house. I used to hire babysitters on the weekend so that I could correct papers and do lesson plans on the weekends. I would say "Goodbye" to my children, go into the garage and start the car and drive around the corner. I would then sneak back inside and go to my bedroom to work while the babysitter was playing with the children in the basement. At a predetermined time I would sneak out the door and return in my car. My children never knew that I was actually home. But I was able to hear the babysitter and my children once they started playing in the living room or the back yard and I was available in case of emergencies.
Some 12 year olds can be responsible babysitters but I have also seen other 12 year olds who need a babysitter themselves.
Depends on the 12 year old, how mature and responsible they are, how much experience they have with small children (younger siblings for example). I like the idea above of having a trial run by letting them babysit while mum is still in the house to see how they cope.
Edit: And like above said, some 12 year olds need babysitting themselves and definitely shouldn't be babysitting! I had to babysit a 12 year old when I was 15 - horrific experience!!
My thoughts are no, just because 12 is so young, but then I realize that I was babysitting at 12 and I was pretty good at it. My friend isn't sure what to do. It's not a family member, it's a teen girl's sister. I referred her to the 16 year old girl but she's too busy with her schoolwork so her sister wanted to help. She was selling herself with babysitting and CPR, lol, kind of cute.
Who else are you going to get? Older teens have other options and commitments and if the girl has taken a baby-sitting course and is of typical maturity for a 12 year old....why wouldn't you use her? Even yourself said you were babysitting at that age.
I wouldn't let her do it for a late night/overnight if it's the first time. When I was hiring sitters, regardless of their age, I made sure the first time was during the day and for a brief (1-2 hour) timespan. As my trust in them increased, the sitting jobs became longer and could possibly run later. I also had the complication of my oldest child having special needs.
I lucked out for several years with a teen who would not only sit almost anytime I asked, she would come by or call to see if she could take the kids out without being paid, and when she got older and was too busy to sit, she replaced herself with her sister, who was about 13 at the time.
If the sitters Mom was close by or available, if the sitter had experience and had been with the child before, if the parents could get home quickly if need be...then by all means yes.
I baby sat for newborns at age 12. Actually i was a much better baby sitter from 12 to 15 then I ever was older than 15. i was serious and loved playing with the kids, was responsible, would wash dishes, etc. Once I hit my teens and discovered gossip and boys I was a mess. Before cell phones---I was on the phone all night, ate house and home, sometimes had boys over when I knew I shouldn't and most importantly I slept when I should have been awake. It was only a way to make money and not the serious endeavour when I was younger.
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My friend isn't sure what to do. It's not a family member, it's a teen girl's sister. I referred her to the 16 year old girl but she's too busy with her schoolwork so her sister wanted to help. She was selling herself with babysitting and CPR, lol, kind of cute.
Older teens have other options and commitments and if the girl has taken a baby-sitting course and is of typical maturity for a 12 year old....why wouldn't you use her? Even yourself said you were babysitting at that age.
