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AIBU?

AIBU to think a sensible 15 year old can babysit for a few hours in the evening?

78 replies

Galaxyseeker · 20/04/2018 14:55

Would you leave a very sensible 15 year old to babysit 4 (sleeping) children for a couple of hours in an evening?

Children all very good sleepers. Just wondering what age people would do this? My husband and I looking forward to being able to go for a quick pub meal together once in a while again.

OP posts:

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Gileswithachainsaw · 20/04/2018 14:57

I think 15 is fine but how old are the kids? 4 seems alot for a teen hell I'd be wary of more than 2

Maybe ask of they wanna bring a friend ?

blametheparents · 20/04/2018 14:58

Personally, I wouldn’t.
But it’s your choice and you need to feel comfortable with it.

ajandjjmum · 20/04/2018 14:59

Depends how old the sleepers are!

Does 15 year old have an equally sensible friend who could keep her/him company - or maybe someone closeby they could call if all four woke up together?

Aprilmightbemynewname · 20/04/2018 14:59

From 15 my ds has watched his siblings while we went out locally.
No problem.

pinkhorse · 20/04/2018 14:59

I won't let my just turned 16 year old dsd babysit my 8 year old ds. She's very young for her age though

Mistigri · 20/04/2018 15:00

Does the teen know the kids?

DD16 has been babysitting our neighbour's kids for a while now - 4 kids under 6 including a baby.

Galaxyseeker · 20/04/2018 15:00

Sorry I should have said, the 15 year old is the older brother

The younger children are 11, 7,6 and 5
(yes I should have known when to stop )

OP posts:

Mamaryllis · 20/04/2018 15:01

Your 15yo with similarly aged siblings? Or a separate 15yo with four much younger not related children?
In my experience, no to the first (because siblings fight and wind each other up and there are all sorts of power play issues with who is ‘in charge’, and yes to the second. At 15 I was babysitting for 5 kids and answering the phones for the parents taxi service. At 15 dd1 was standard first aid qualified and paid to work at a pool, at 16 she was lifeguarding.
The only issue I have is when the sitter is a sibling.

Mistigri · 20/04/2018 15:01

I think that's fine as long as you are not too far away.

TroubledLichen · 20/04/2018 15:02

I would as long as you were nearby and the 15YO could call you and you’d be home in max 10 mins in case one of the younger ones woke up and wouldn’t settle. And maybe consider asking a sensible friend to join just in case?

Galaxyseeker · 20/04/2018 15:02

Ps. All younger children would be asleep. We'd go out later to make sure they are

OP posts:

Bouledeneige · 20/04/2018 15:03

Yes I would be fine with that.

zzzzz · 20/04/2018 15:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TotHappy · 20/04/2018 15:04

Me and my brother used to look after my youngest sister when parents went out of a Friday eve... Think I was 13 or 14 when it started, so he was 15ish and she was 4 or 5. Not in bed though... I do remember some rows when we stopped her having a third packet of crisps! Definitely it responsible leave them, it's if he's happy with it i suppose. Will he have to out then to bed? Because they night decide to play up and challenge authority, that's what my sister did, so it could be exhausting for him!

zzzzz · 20/04/2018 15:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Mamaryllis · 20/04/2018 15:04

X post. Depends on dynamics. But I’d be wary. How sensible? First aid savvy? How is the 11yo? Reached power dynamic fighting yet?

Gileswithachainsaw · 20/04/2018 15:05

On that case absolutely. The 11 yr old will sort themselves out

LegallyBrunet · 20/04/2018 15:05

I babysit my four younger siblings from fourteen with no problems and one of them is severely disabled. I think they’ll be fine

Laniakea · 20/04/2018 15:06

I think it's fine, my eldest did so from a similar age.

TotHappy · 20/04/2018 15:06

Oh seen your update. Hell yeah, definitely! Max 10 mins pp? Why?! If they wake and won't settle oh well, they'll have less sleep that night. It happens.

BertrandRussell · 20/04/2018 15:07

Yes of course. Unless there were any complicated relationship dynamics that needed to be thought about.

OliviaStabler · 20/04/2018 15:08

I would.

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BeyondThePage · 20/04/2018 15:10

That is fine - my DD15 has her own "babysitting business" - weekends only - she gets £7.50 an hour (!?!?!) and now has 4 clients. Some have good sleepers, some less so... she always says to parents that she is happy to babysit for kids who won't stay abed so long as they are happy to come home to them sitting on the sofa watching telly... so far so good.

vampirethriller · 20/04/2018 15:10

I used to babysit for people in our village from when I was 11. 15 sounds better

kaytee87 · 20/04/2018 15:12

Yes I think that's fine given that the youngest is school aged. If the youngest was a baby or toddler I might have said no.

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