At what age can children babysit siblings? (And other things..)

[redjumper]

I have 3 children who are just babies at the moment but I was just musing the future. Im all caught up in baby and toddlerhood at the moment but obviously it won't always be like this.
Could any wise mummies of older children cast light on what it's like.
At what age would you leave an older child to babysit younger siblings (there's a 2 year age gap between each child).
At what age do children stop wanting to come on holidays with their parents?
All mine will share a bedroom when young. At what age do children want their own bedroom?
Any other thoughts on what life is like as a mother as your children get older, how it feels when the youngest starts school, they become teenagers etc?

[corythatwas]

Baby-sitting will depend very much on personalities, and with such a small age gap you may well end up not with one dc baby-sitting, but with each dc being responsible for themselves (and maybe older dc for the safety of the house)

Can't quite remember, but think dd was taking her younger brother (3 1/2 yr age gap) into town by the time she was 12- more about him baby-sitting her tbh as she had a disability and suffered from anxiety

As for going on holiday, that will depend on how entertaining your holidays are- mine as still happy to come at 16 and 20, and in fact I am about to join my parents for a short holiday at Easter- I'm 53!

We ask the 20yo if she wants to come, but assume that the 16yo will.

Bedroom may depend if different sexes; if so, probably around the time of pre-puberty. If same sex, will depend on issues of space, how well they get on and how well they get on with each other's friends.

I have very much enjoyed mine growing up, not that I didn't like them as babies or toddlers, but there is something very satisfying about seeing them cope with life on their own, or being looked after by a tall lumbering almost-man and know that "I raised this boy to be caring". And you can have interesting discussions with them. That whole thing of seeing their personalities develop- I love it!