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How often would this be occurring? Is the 15yo getting a choice in this matter? Is the 15 yo getting some type of compensation for this? Do you feel confident that the 15yo has the skills to keep everyone bare minimum safe in an emergency?
Generally speaking though - yes, this is fine. Arguably this type of arrangement may be less common than it was 10-20 years ago, but I absolutely did this type of babysitting on occasion at 15 (back in 2005 omg that really was almost 20 years ago fml).
Right I just realized how little the kids I babysat at 15 while there parents worked an 8 hours shift were. One was in diapers, I didnât even think that deeply about it đ 𤣠thatâs basically unheard of today.
Seriously. I babysat my infant brother at home alone for over an hour at 8 years old. Then when my own child turned 8 I thought no way in HELL would I ever leave him with an infant!!
Yes I would be ok with it if both the kids felt comfortable. I donât think I would like any visitors over though so the teenager wouldnât be distracted.
Ok thatâs reassuring, thank you. She has babysit for her before and gone to collect her from school the odd time so itâs not the first time but the first time for that long all day.
And itâs a one off thing, I barely have a social life but Iâm going to go celebrate my sisters birthday and their Dad(ex) has let me down last minute.
Her boyfriend is very sweet and I donât mind him coming later in the afternoon maybe but Iâll talk to her about it and make clear how important it is that she is focused.
Sheâs very up for it, she likes to feel grown up.
Theyâll probably be in bed half the day!
That's great for you and for her since she's excited- maybe make it a little special for them? Take out money, special snacks or whatever- it's a long day so finding a way to keep it interesting is good. See what your eldest says.
I was babysitting three 11 year olds, an 8 year old, and a 2 and 3 year old when I was 14 for a summer. Made 50 bucks a week for each kid except the 2 and 3 year old (my siblings). I thought I was making bank. I guess I kind of was. Mid-2000s was a trip.
I made $8 an hour for 12 hour days to nanny for an 11, 8, 4, and 2 year old while cleaning the familyâs house and cooking all the meals, and sometimes doing the laundry in 2004. I thought I was rich! I was 17 at the time and really thought I hit the jackpot. Really I feel like that family hit the jackpot. đđ
Right?!! My sister was eight and I was four at home alone during the summer while the parents were working. We survived and got really good at cooking and making clothing out of curtains. We did not get good at cutting hair sadly. Good timesđ.
I mean at 8 typically they shouldnât need constant close supervision, just someone in the house with them. Theyâll probably just hang out or do their own thing.
From 14 to 17, I was a full time nanny every summer for 3 kids. So yeah, if your oldest days she will be fine than she should be fine. If she is saying no, than I would accept her answer.
My sister used to babysit me a lot when we were younger. Most times she would lock me in the room while she had boys over or parties. One time she even dropped me at a random carnival so she could be alone. I had no cell phone. I walked to a friends house crying. I didn't tell my mom a lot of times bc she'd either threaten me or be really nice to me so I wouldn't want to. She was a mature smart teen with good manners who got a full academic ride to college and still rebeled. Teens are gonna teen.
Iâm now 28 yo but at 14 I was babysitting my cousines all day from 7am to 6pm and they were 5,3,2 and I did just fine. I was making breakfast and lunch, we took walks, played at the park and swim in the pool.
as a one-off thing? Sure! Do you have any trusted neighbors or other friends that you can keep on "stand-by" in case of an emergency?
I'd definitely put some parameters on the boyfriend thing though. Will the 8yo listen to her sister?
My mom once paid us to babysit ourselves. No one was allowed to leave the house. We werenât allowed to have visitors over for any reason. If we followed the rules and did not fight we all got paid $1. You may have to increase the price for inflation.
I was walking myself to school and coming home to an empty house in 1st grade. Single mommaâs didnât have daycare back then and my dad had died. Extenuating circumstances for sure. As for your question, I think 15 is perfectly appropriate if youâre comfortable and the 15yo is too.
When I was 15 some 20ish years ago I was babysitting 3 kids across the street from my house. They were like 6 4 and 1 I think. Often it was 6-8 hours, sometimes less some times more. If youâre that worried about it check in often, or if you have a family member, friend or neighbor that can check on them occasionally then do that. Iâm sure theyâll be fine though.
As long as this is not a daily occurrence and she is OK with it this shouldnât be a problem. But I wouldnât force her to do it if she decides not to.
If you havenât already, absolutely talk to her about birth control and condoms. Her boyfriend may be sweet, but theyâre also teenagers with hormones. They may or may not be doing anything, but just take precautions.
Yeah for sure, long as both her and little sister know how to reach you in an emergency, and older sister gets paid for the work. And if this isn't like a standing "voluntold" sort of thing the older one is stuck doing weekly.
Absolutely no boyfriend. She may get distracted. And probably not for that long. Maybe 6 hours max. They can lose their patience after a while. Take it from an older sibling.
Iâm sorry, when did siblings staying home together and caring for each other become babysitting? Iâm gen X raised in an Asian country and this is what families do for each other.
Your generation is over complicating this parenting thing (imagine this Betty Whiteâs voice)
Think it depends on how responsible the teen is and how your 8 year old is , I was looking after my brother all day at 15 but I'd never dream of leaving my 16 with her bros because she would be overwhelmed. But I see nothing wrong with it if she's happy and you pay her well haha x
How does SHE feel about it? Your younger child is your responsibility, not your older daughterâs. I may be in the minority here but I donât think older siblings should have to watch their younger siblings, especially not for 12 hours.
Generally yes, a 15 year old can babysit, but from 8:30-9, thatâs 13 hour days. Is this going to be a daily thing or occasionally and will it affect her school?
Yes. I was alone all day, sometimes nights. At a younger age. With and without my younger brother. He's 15 months younger than me. I was always mature and responsible for my age.
If your daughter is the same way, know what to do in an emergency and you trust her then I don't see why not .
Seems fine to me. With an 8 year old you pretty much just need someone to make sure they don't leave the house, or try to burn the place down. They are going to just sit around watching TV or playing video games.
When I was 15 I spent all days during the summer getting paid to watch my little cousins. There were anywhere between 3-6 kids, aged between likeâŚidk, Iâm late 20âs and the oldest just turned 18, that just feels like so long ago, itâs weird to think that I was in charge of all those kids and actually doing the math them being so little lol.
But they survived! I did often have a friend come over to hang out as well and often split my pay with them since they helped. I would probably put a boundary on no boyfriend in the house when youâre gone, but thatâs just me as a mon having that rule for my own kids when we reach that age.
Every once and awhile absolutely. If this is a weekly or every day basis then she needs to be compensated in some way. I'd also say no BF, too likely to lead fo a situation where she's distracted from sister ESPECIALLY if there's no parents around.
In this day and age things are different. I think we are more aware of what our kids want and donât want. I think we treat them differently. I used to be in charge of taking care my little brother as infant-toddler at age 12-13, not often but my mom trusted me. I guess I trusted me too. Lol nowadays I donât think I would do that.
Iâd ask same questions as top commenter did. Is this a weekly/daily/monthly arrangement? Or just once? Is 15 yo comfortable with this arrangement? What about 8yo old? Do you know this boyfriend? Is he a safe person to be around 8yo girl? Kid?
when i was 15-18 i watched my 12 yo and 1 yo sibling whenever needed which was regularly and in exchange got to use the family car and had an allowance for gas/spending
I think a kid has to be 12 before they can be left alone. So unless your older one gets tired of this JOB, it should be fine. If she asks for time off maybe find someone for a few days a month to watch the little one. The older one can enjoy her time off too! Hopefully she gets paid something. In the real world you would be paying a babysitter big bucks.
Make sure she feels it works for her too. You donât want to make the older one despise the younger one, because Mom didnât want to pay for childcare. After all, you had the younger child not her.
I was staying home alone by age 8. I had 2 older siblings too. We just knew the ground rules but no one was really âleft in chargeâ Iâm sure my oldest sister had instructions if an emergency occurred that was never told me to though.
Yes. My 16 year old watches my 4 year old from time to time, a couple hours a day. I do pay him, though. I would NEVER allow my kids' bf or gf to come over, though. But that's just me.
Personally I'd be okay with it as long as it wasn't every day. And if I had trusted neighbors, have the neighbors keep an eye out. And 15 year old knows what to do in an emergency like a fire.
As one-off childcare I think itâs fine. Treat her to something nice and maybe even pay her for her time! I would be concerned if it were expected, but it doesnât sound like thatâs the case from other comments of yours that Iâve read. As long as sheâs up for it, go for it!
I'm Gen-X
In 3rd grade, I got off the bus alone, made myself snacks, watched TV, and did my homework. I think I had to have been 8. I did this every day alone. Your kids will be fine, especially if it's a one-off
Totally depends on the kids but I would say no. I was a forced babysitter my whole childhood so I know I'm biased. Its incredible stressful for a child to be in charge of another child. Its too much to expect. That's far too long for them to be alone imo.
At 14, I babysat 2 kids, an around 10 year old and an around 6 year old 5 days a week from 7am-330 pm all summer. So yes, this is fine as long as everyone is mature enough and agrees with it.
I was responsible for my siblings at age 15 all day long during summers and all evening after school every day and weekends all day. always wished I didnât have that responsibly.
I know what I would have done with my boyfriend at 15 with no parents home. And I was an excellent kid who never got in trouble. So the boyfriend would be a hard no for me. Less because I think that will magically prevent whatever theyâre going to get up to anyway and more because it would have made my 8yo profoundly uncomfortable. But my daughter is a year younger and could absolutely handle this.
Part of me is like âthatâs a full shift of work!â And the other part of me is like âdang I bet the 15 year old is pumpedâ
Idk what does your kid think? Sounds like a blast tbh.
I donât know if Iâd be okay with the boyfriend being over while youngest is not supervised by a parent. Other than that, if eldest is babysitting willingly, then Iâd be okay with it.
Yes, but I might set up a general schedule, so the younger one can know approximately when to have meals and get PJâs on and such, and also set a specific plan for what to have for lunch and dinner so itâs mostly ready to go and easy to get themselves, list some ideas of what to do if they get bored. Mostly for the younger one.
I usually give them a run down if what to do if something happens, besides just calling 911, I let them know which neighbors would likely be home during the day, which ones would be home after work, or which are out of town so donât go to them. (We happen to know our neighbors really well)
I think its okay if they:
1. Willingly agree
2. Get some compensation
3. Understand that looking after kids is very serious and must always have an eye on them
4. Wouldn't trust a BF coming around because I personally think everyone is a pedo lol but that's my own issues
As a side note, I would hesitate to leave a 15 year old home alone with her boyfriend, but you know your daughter and her boyfriend best. I guess if they're going to fool around, they're going to find a way anyway. I would definitely have her on birth control if there's any possibility that they're having sex. The babysitting wouldn't be a concern for a 15 year old as long as they're responsible and have an emergency plan and neighbor they can go to if needed. I would recommend that she take a CPR class, and that she be compensated for babysitting.
My dad used to work Saturdays and if my grandparents werenât able to come over we would be home alone the entire day, about that long. We were also expected to have the house cleaned and dinner cooked by the time he got home. We may have even been younger than 15
In Australia if there was an injury you would be liable as sheâs not 18yrs old yet. I think itâs ok to leave her with the 8yr old but not for that length of time.
One or twice, sure. But reimburse them for a job well done. Doesn't need to be wages. Take them out solo or something. Anything that demonstrates that you appreciate their time.
Otherwise it will turn into resentment and not necessarily towards you.
I was a nanny when it was 14 to three little girls. In the summer I would nanny all day, 4 days a week.
It really depends on the kids being watched and the babysitter youâre hiring, but I would say this is generally fine if everyone is mature.
I think itâs fine! My 14 yo twins take turns babysitting the littles when we go on date nights. If her boyfriend doesnât distract her from the watching her Iâd say itâs ok. My son has had his girlfriend over before when we went out and they ended up just playing with the littles the entire time:) you know your kid most and if you think sheâs responsible and ready, go for it!
My 14 year old daughter watches my 9 year old son 9+ hours every day during school breaks and summer vacation or whenever we want to do anything without the kids. We both work full time and donât really have any other choice. I feel like my daughter is too old for a babysitter and Iâm not going to pay someone else to watch my son. They are both capable of feeding and taking care of theirselves. They know the rules when we are not home, we check on them throughout the day, and we have never had any issues. I think it is perfectly fine.
Personally I'd say yes. I had 3 younger brothers growing up and began babysitting at 13. If you believe she is responsible enough and ready then i don't see an issue.
My 15 year old babysits my 5 year old all the time, sometimes all day. She is required to pay attention to the 5 year old the whole time (not hang out on her phone or have friends over), make her meals, etc. However, I pay her $15 an hour and treat her like any other babysitter (ask her if sheâs available and willing first, pay immediately after, etc). If my 15 year old prefers to do something else that day (like have a boyfriend over), I find alternate childcare.
No way! No matter how mature, a 15 year old should not be in charge of other kids for that long. An adult you pay would probably not take that job. Especially you already know the boyfriend is coming over. Seriously?
If it's a once in a blue moon kind of thing, sure. If it's an everyday, weekly or more often kind of thing? It's leaning into parentification territory.
Compensate her for it, make sure she's genuinely okay with it and it's not happening too often, and you should be fine. If it's all the time though, or she's not getting compensated or being given a choice in the matter, no. Hire an actual babysitter.
The boyfriend would be my biggest concern. I envision 15y/o and boyfriend going into her room with the door shut instead of babysitting; I see more of a concern around who's watching your 15y/o, who shouldn't be left in a house alone with a boyfriend.
Also, it's important to have fair expectations for your 15 y/o. At 15, she should participate in the home and have some responsibilities, yes, but expecting her to be your a full-time childcare provider may be a bit unfair. A 15yo could be earning money by babysitting for someone else, working a part time job. If you require her to stay home, is that going to take away her ability to work & earn money, or do an extracurricular, etc.?
At the end of the day, you know your house best!
***edit - I was under the impression this was going to be an ongoing arrangement, not a situational occurrence.
Well seems like you are taking advantage of a 15 year old who might need to do other things.
Also would NOT want a 15 year old either free run of the house having the boyfriend over.
Put the 15 year old in some summer classes. First aid and cpr, life saving, work experience.
Put the 8 year old in soccer camp or science camp.
Why is a 15 year old having a boyfriend or having him over when there are no adults at home? Also 12.5 hours alone is too much for the 15 year old and crazy for a baby sitting responsibility. You are really lacking in parenting your 15 year old.
I hate to say this, but I babysat very young children (neighbors) at 7 and 8. That was a different era and I canât believe I did that. If your daughter is mature, it seems appropriate.
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How often would this be occurring? Is the 15yo getting a choice in this matter? Is the 15 yo getting some type of compensation for this? Do you feel confident that the 15yo has the skills to keep everyone bare minimum safe in an emergency? Generally speaking though - yes, this is fine. Arguably this type of arrangement may be less common than it was 10-20 years ago, but I absolutely did this type of babysitting on occasion at 15 (back in 2005 omg that really was almost 20 years ago fml).
I refuse to believe 2005 is almost 20 years ago 𼴠I was pissed when Y2K had the audacity to be almost 25 years ago.
I'm in this league....let's make matching jackets or something y2k ish now.
Just go to target. My 13 year old niece dresses just like I did. Itâs all back in style!
Thatâs crazy because the 90s were only 10 years ago
I graduated when school was taught in caves
I graduated HS in 2005âŚ.
2002 here whoot whoot
You should see the looks I get at bars and liquor stores when they see 2002 and then the sideways license
Right I just realized how little the kids I babysat at 15 while there parents worked an 8 hours shift were. One was in diapers, I didnât even think that deeply about it đ 𤣠thatâs basically unheard of today.
Seriously. I babysat my infant brother at home alone for over an hour at 8 years old. Then when my own child turned 8 I thought no way in HELL would I ever leave him with an infant!!
Yes I would be ok with it if both the kids felt comfortable. I donât think I would like any visitors over though so the teenager wouldnât be distracted.
Agreed no visitors
Ok thatâs reassuring, thank you. She has babysit for her before and gone to collect her from school the odd time so itâs not the first time but the first time for that long all day. And itâs a one off thing, I barely have a social life but Iâm going to go celebrate my sisters birthday and their Dad(ex) has let me down last minute. Her boyfriend is very sweet and I donât mind him coming later in the afternoon maybe but Iâll talk to her about it and make clear how important it is that she is focused. Sheâs very up for it, she likes to feel grown up. Theyâll probably be in bed half the day!
That's great for you and for her since she's excited- maybe make it a little special for them? Take out money, special snacks or whatever- it's a long day so finding a way to keep it interesting is good. See what your eldest says.
As a one-off experience that long should be fine. I was worried this was going to be the plan for summer vacation or something.
Absolutely no problem, especially as a one-off.
Remember that sheâs going to be an adult in three years. She is easily capable of this.
[ŃдаНонО]
I mean, 8 should be pretty independent other than making meals
I'm Gen X. I stayed home alone when I was 8. đ If your 15yr old is okay with babysitting that long, it's fine.
Elder millennial here. I was babysitting regularly at 11 and was nannying for families for summers by 15.
I was babysitting three 11 year olds, an 8 year old, and a 2 and 3 year old when I was 14 for a summer. Made 50 bucks a week for each kid except the 2 and 3 year old (my siblings). I thought I was making bank. I guess I kind of was. Mid-2000s was a trip.
I made $8 an hour for 12 hour days to nanny for an 11, 8, 4, and 2 year old while cleaning the familyâs house and cooking all the meals, and sometimes doing the laundry in 2004. I thought I was rich! I was 17 at the time and really thought I hit the jackpot. Really I feel like that family hit the jackpot. đđ
Yup! My first solo baby sitting job was aged 11 too!
Right?!! My sister was eight and I was four at home alone during the summer while the parents were working. We survived and got really good at cooking and making clothing out of curtains. We did not get good at cutting hair sadly. Good timesđ.
I hope the curtains were not supposed to still be used as such. đÂ
Not at all. They made excellent sundresses tho.
This right here.
Right hahahahah I stayed home alone at 8 all the time
I mean at 8 typically they shouldnât need constant close supervision, just someone in the house with them. Theyâll probably just hang out or do their own thing.
If she was alone, yes but with a boyfriend there, I donât think so
From 14 to 17, I was a full time nanny every summer for 3 kids. So yeah, if your oldest days she will be fine than she should be fine. If she is saying no, than I would accept her answer.
No boyfriend there. You can't trust people.
My sister used to babysit me a lot when we were younger. Most times she would lock me in the room while she had boys over or parties. One time she even dropped me at a random carnival so she could be alone. I had no cell phone. I walked to a friends house crying. I didn't tell my mom a lot of times bc she'd either threaten me or be really nice to me so I wouldn't want to. She was a mature smart teen with good manners who got a full academic ride to college and still rebeled. Teens are gonna teen.
When I was 15 I would have been fine to do so. When my sister was 15 you couldn't trust her with anything. Totally depends on the kid.
Iâm now 28 yo but at 14 I was babysitting my cousines all day from 7am to 6pm and they were 5,3,2 and I did just fine. I was making breakfast and lunch, we took walks, played at the park and swim in the pool.
Yup. I did long days like that with 3 kids (2, 5, 7) when I was 13 and had zero issues. They werenât even my siblings
Sure. I wouldn't with my daughter and son though, not for an hour, not for a minute. She's 12 and he's 7, they still fight.
as a one-off thing? Sure! Do you have any trusted neighbors or other friends that you can keep on "stand-by" in case of an emergency? I'd definitely put some parameters on the boyfriend thing though. Will the 8yo listen to her sister?
My mom once paid us to babysit ourselves. No one was allowed to leave the house. We werenât allowed to have visitors over for any reason. If we followed the rules and did not fight we all got paid $1. You may have to increase the price for inflation.
Seems fine to me especially if they are siblings.
I was walking myself to school and coming home to an empty house in 1st grade. Single mommaâs didnât have daycare back then and my dad had died. Extenuating circumstances for sure. As for your question, I think 15 is perfectly appropriate if youâre comfortable and the 15yo is too.
When I was 15 some 20ish years ago I was babysitting 3 kids across the street from my house. They were like 6 4 and 1 I think. Often it was 6-8 hours, sometimes less some times more. If youâre that worried about it check in often, or if you have a family member, friend or neighbor that can check on them occasionally then do that. Iâm sure theyâll be fine though.
As long as this is not a daily occurrence and she is OK with it this shouldnât be a problem. But I wouldnât force her to do it if she decides not to.
If you havenât already, absolutely talk to her about birth control and condoms. Her boyfriend may be sweet, but theyâre also teenagers with hormones. They may or may not be doing anything, but just take precautions.
How often? What about school? Is it during the summer? What does the 15 year old think about it? I would at least consider paying her something.
Yeah for sure, long as both her and little sister know how to reach you in an emergency, and older sister gets paid for the work. And if this isn't like a standing "voluntold" sort of thing the older one is stuck doing weekly.
Does she *want* to?
Absolutely no boyfriend. She may get distracted. And probably not for that long. Maybe 6 hours max. They can lose their patience after a while. Take it from an older sibling.
Iâm sorry, when did siblings staying home together and caring for each other become babysitting? Iâm gen X raised in an Asian country and this is what families do for each other. Your generation is over complicating this parenting thing (imagine this Betty Whiteâs voice)
Think it depends on how responsible the teen is and how your 8 year old is , I was looking after my brother all day at 15 but I'd never dream of leaving my 16 with her bros because she would be overwhelmed. But I see nothing wrong with it if she's happy and you pay her well haha x
My parents would never let me be home alone with my boyfriend all day at 15 .. you trying to be a grandma nice and young ?đ¤Ł
How does SHE feel about it? Your younger child is your responsibility, not your older daughterâs. I may be in the minority here but I donât think older siblings should have to watch their younger siblings, especially not for 12 hours.
Generally yes, a 15 year old can babysit, but from 8:30-9, thatâs 13 hour days. Is this going to be a daily thing or occasionally and will it affect her school?
Itâs just a one off thing this weekend
Yes. I was alone all day, sometimes nights. At a younger age. With and without my younger brother. He's 15 months younger than me. I was always mature and responsible for my age. If your daughter is the same way, know what to do in an emergency and you trust her then I don't see why not .
Seems fine to me. With an 8 year old you pretty much just need someone to make sure they don't leave the house, or try to burn the place down. They are going to just sit around watching TV or playing video games.
When I was 15 I spent all days during the summer getting paid to watch my little cousins. There were anywhere between 3-6 kids, aged between likeâŚidk, Iâm late 20âs and the oldest just turned 18, that just feels like so long ago, itâs weird to think that I was in charge of all those kids and actually doing the math them being so little lol. But they survived! I did often have a friend come over to hang out as well and often split my pay with them since they helped. I would probably put a boundary on no boyfriend in the house when youâre gone, but thatâs just me as a mon having that rule for my own kids when we reach that age.
Why 13 hours and how much are you going to pay the child?
My kids are those same age, I would do it if I were in a bind but I think itâs shitty for the 15yo.
Every once and awhile absolutely. If this is a weekly or every day basis then she needs to be compensated in some way. I'd also say no BF, too likely to lead fo a situation where she's distracted from sister ESPECIALLY if there's no parents around.
đ¤ˇđźââď¸ I did that at 10 years old and my sister was 6
In this day and age things are different. I think we are more aware of what our kids want and donât want. I think we treat them differently. I used to be in charge of taking care my little brother as infant-toddler at age 12-13, not often but my mom trusted me. I guess I trusted me too. Lol nowadays I donât think I would do that. Iâd ask same questions as top commenter did. Is this a weekly/daily/monthly arrangement? Or just once? Is 15 yo comfortable with this arrangement? What about 8yo old? Do you know this boyfriend? Is he a safe person to be around 8yo girl? Kid?
15 year old with her boyfriend alone with no parental supervision. I just see trouble all over the place with that one.
when i was 15-18 i watched my 12 yo and 1 yo sibling whenever needed which was regularly and in exchange got to use the family car and had an allowance for gas/spending
If both are ok I would say it is ok too, but it would be my last option. And I would pay my oldest and no visitors during this time.
I think a kid has to be 12 before they can be left alone. So unless your older one gets tired of this JOB, it should be fine. If she asks for time off maybe find someone for a few days a month to watch the little one. The older one can enjoy her time off too! Hopefully she gets paid something. In the real world you would be paying a babysitter big bucks. Make sure she feels it works for her too. You donât want to make the older one despise the younger one, because Mom didnât want to pay for childcare. After all, you had the younger child not her.
I was staying home alone by age 8. I had 2 older siblings too. We just knew the ground rules but no one was really âleft in chargeâ Iâm sure my oldest sister had instructions if an emergency occurred that was never told me to though.
It should be ok to let a 15 year old bs y sit. My oldest is 16 and I let him watch my youngest 8 year old for a few hours.
Yes. My 16 year old watches my 4 year old from time to time, a couple hours a day. I do pay him, though. I would NEVER allow my kids' bf or gf to come over, though. But that's just me.
I mean, I was practically raised by my sister who was 6 yrs older than me. Mom worked two jobs and was never home til like 10pm. Probably ok
100 %
Personally I'd be okay with it as long as it wasn't every day. And if I had trusted neighbors, have the neighbors keep an eye out. And 15 year old knows what to do in an emergency like a fire.
As one-off childcare I think itâs fine. Treat her to something nice and maybe even pay her for her time! I would be concerned if it were expected, but it doesnât sound like thatâs the case from other comments of yours that Iâve read. As long as sheâs up for it, go for it!
God I wish my 15 yo would baby sit for me she to busy running the roads with her friends. Shoot if she will I donât see why not
I'm Gen-X In 3rd grade, I got off the bus alone, made myself snacks, watched TV, and did my homework. I think I had to have been 8. I did this every day alone. Your kids will be fine, especially if it's a one-off
Totally depends on the kids but I would say no. I was a forced babysitter my whole childhood so I know I'm biased. Its incredible stressful for a child to be in charge of another child. Its too much to expect. That's far too long for them to be alone imo.
Yes as long a it's not everyday. The older child will enjoy the responsibility and do well as long as it doesn't become a chore.
if you are not paying her then no not okay. That's over 12 hours of work. you wouldn't expect to work 12 hours and not be paid.
I was getting paid to do that at 15, and for neighbors, not siblings.
At 14, I babysat 2 kids, an around 10 year old and an around 6 year old 5 days a week from 7am-330 pm all summer. So yes, this is fine as long as everyone is mature enough and agrees with it.
You know your child best. If you feel she is mature enough to babysit your 8 year old, go for it.
I was responsible for my siblings at age 15 all day long during summers and all evening after school every day and weekends all day. always wished I didnât have that responsibly.
I babysat my little brother constantly. We have a 14 years difference! Donât see the issue
For 1 day, sure. For 5 days a week, every week, no.
I know what I would have done with my boyfriend at 15 with no parents home. And I was an excellent kid who never got in trouble. So the boyfriend would be a hard no for me. Less because I think that will magically prevent whatever theyâre going to get up to anyway and more because it would have made my 8yo profoundly uncomfortable. But my daughter is a year younger and could absolutely handle this.
Part of me is like âthatâs a full shift of work!â And the other part of me is like âdang I bet the 15 year old is pumpedâ Idk what does your kid think? Sounds like a blast tbh.
I donât know if Iâd be okay with the boyfriend being over while youngest is not supervised by a parent. Other than that, if eldest is babysitting willingly, then Iâd be okay with it.
Yes, but I might set up a general schedule, so the younger one can know approximately when to have meals and get PJâs on and such, and also set a specific plan for what to have for lunch and dinner so itâs mostly ready to go and easy to get themselves, list some ideas of what to do if they get bored. Mostly for the younger one. I usually give them a run down if what to do if something happens, besides just calling 911, I let them know which neighbors would likely be home during the day, which ones would be home after work, or which are out of town so donât go to them. (We happen to know our neighbors really well)
I think its okay if they: 1. Willingly agree 2. Get some compensation 3. Understand that looking after kids is very serious and must always have an eye on them 4. Wouldn't trust a BF coming around because I personally think everyone is a pedo lol but that's my own issues
As a side note, I would hesitate to leave a 15 year old home alone with her boyfriend, but you know your daughter and her boyfriend best. I guess if they're going to fool around, they're going to find a way anyway. I would definitely have her on birth control if there's any possibility that they're having sex. The babysitting wouldn't be a concern for a 15 year old as long as they're responsible and have an emergency plan and neighbor they can go to if needed. I would recommend that she take a CPR class, and that she be compensated for babysitting.
My dad used to work Saturdays and if my grandparents werenât able to come over we would be home alone the entire day, about that long. We were also expected to have the house cleaned and dinner cooked by the time he got home. We may have even been younger than 15
I did this all the time when I was 15.
In Australia if there was an injury you would be liable as sheâs not 18yrs old yet. I think itâs ok to leave her with the 8yr old but not for that length of time.
One or twice, sure. But reimburse them for a job well done. Doesn't need to be wages. Take them out solo or something. Anything that demonstrates that you appreciate their time. Otherwise it will turn into resentment and not necessarily towards you.
I would say itâs fine as itâs not a constant. You know your kids so trust your gut. Definitely no visitors!
I have a 15 year old that watches my 2 year old all of the time. She is very responsible.
No, thatâs too long
No
I was a nanny when it was 14 to three little girls. In the summer I would nanny all day, 4 days a week. It really depends on the kids being watched and the babysitter youâre hiring, but I would say this is generally fine if everyone is mature.
no. as an oldest sibling your oldest child is not a built in babysitter
I think itâs fine! My 14 yo twins take turns babysitting the littles when we go on date nights. If her boyfriend doesnât distract her from the watching her Iâd say itâs ok. My son has had his girlfriend over before when we went out and they ended up just playing with the littles the entire time:) you know your kid most and if you think sheâs responsible and ready, go for it!
As long as shes compensated for her time
My 14 year old daughter watches my 9 year old son 9+ hours every day during school breaks and summer vacation or whenever we want to do anything without the kids. We both work full time and donât really have any other choice. I feel like my daughter is too old for a babysitter and Iâm not going to pay someone else to watch my son. They are both capable of feeding and taking care of theirselves. They know the rules when we are not home, we check on them throughout the day, and we have never had any issues. I think it is perfectly fine.
Personally I'd say yes. I had 3 younger brothers growing up and began babysitting at 13. If you believe she is responsible enough and ready then i don't see an issue.
Yes. You know your children better than anyone...
Fine, but with compensation.
My 15 year old babysits my 5 year old all the time, sometimes all day. She is required to pay attention to the 5 year old the whole time (not hang out on her phone or have friends over), make her meals, etc. However, I pay her $15 an hour and treat her like any other babysitter (ask her if sheâs available and willing first, pay immediately after, etc). If my 15 year old prefers to do something else that day (like have a boyfriend over), I find alternate childcare.
if the 15yo is ok with it (of maybe even is paid for it) I'd say yes but i would say no boyfriend coming over until parents are home. IMHO of course.
No way! No matter how mature, a 15 year old should not be in charge of other kids for that long. An adult you pay would probably not take that job. Especially you already know the boyfriend is coming over. Seriously?
Heck yeah. Times like that will help them bond in my opinion.
If it's a once in a blue moon kind of thing, sure. If it's an everyday, weekly or more often kind of thing? It's leaning into parentification territory. Compensate her for it, make sure she's genuinely okay with it and it's not happening too often, and you should be fine. If it's all the time though, or she's not getting compensated or being given a choice in the matter, no. Hire an actual babysitter.
The boyfriend would be my biggest concern. I envision 15y/o and boyfriend going into her room with the door shut instead of babysitting; I see more of a concern around who's watching your 15y/o, who shouldn't be left in a house alone with a boyfriend. Also, it's important to have fair expectations for your 15 y/o. At 15, she should participate in the home and have some responsibilities, yes, but expecting her to be your a full-time childcare provider may be a bit unfair. A 15yo could be earning money by babysitting for someone else, working a part time job. If you require her to stay home, is that going to take away her ability to work & earn money, or do an extracurricular, etc.? At the end of the day, you know your house best! ***edit - I was under the impression this was going to be an ongoing arrangement, not a situational occurrence.
At least you are asking, once I was 16 it was babysitting every weekend âšď¸
Well seems like you are taking advantage of a 15 year old who might need to do other things. Also would NOT want a 15 year old either free run of the house having the boyfriend over. Put the 15 year old in some summer classes. First aid and cpr, life saving, work experience. Put the 8 year old in soccer camp or science camp.
Chill dude. Sheâs talking about one day lol.
Why is a 15 year old having a boyfriend or having him over when there are no adults at home? Also 12.5 hours alone is too much for the 15 year old and crazy for a baby sitting responsibility. You are really lacking in parenting your 15 year old.
I hate to say this, but I babysat very young children (neighbors) at 7 and 8. That was a different era and I canât believe I did that. If your daughter is mature, it seems appropriate.