Can a 19 year old babysit a baby alone?

[Raspberryripple3000]

Im aware this post sounds like ragebait (I wish it was) but my (19F) mum (40+) has a friend with a baby under a year old, naturally she hasn’t been going out much recently, so my mum offered to look after the baby one night so they can go out, assuming she’d be tired I offered to do it, without saying it with a lack of confidence. Since my pet passed away relatively recently, I thought it would be nice to have someone to take care of.

All of this sounds pretty normal right? Well not to my mum! After my (seemingly) normal request, she said no, I can’t do it alone and that I’ll need someone ‘mature’ (her) with me. I really don’t know what to think to that as I sounded quite confident and sure while saying it, heck I would have even looked forward to it, I’m overage (and aware younger teens are capable too), I have no mental health conditions, I’ve known the mum of the baby for over 7 years, and even my mum looked after a baby after she left school (about 16 years old) so I really don’t know why my perfectly normal request backfired to make me look like a little 10 year old trying to seem grown? Surely denying a 19 year old to look after a baby (who’s well past the newborn stage) that she’s confident about looking after is a bit strange? My mum could at least see what the mum of the baby thinks right? All of your suggestions/comments will mean so much to me! :)

Its not about getting Ops Mums confidence its about getting the Babys mums confidence.

Ops mum cannot leave the baby with Op without Baby's mums agreement and knowledge

TBH you sound very immature. A pet is NOT the same as a baby!!
I was a mother when younger than you but then I did not feel the need to ask strangers if I was ok to look after my baby. The fact that you do speaks volumes

Is there a chance she will think you will enjoy babysitting so much that YOU will want a baby?

I had my own baby at 19. Babysitting one at 19 is fine and your tone is very mature

I had a baby myself at 19 🤣 19 isn't a child

I used to babysit for families with 3 DC including a baby at 16, though had a lot of practical experience with caring for babies in my own family by then.

You are an adult so of course legally able.

I was babysitting at 14 and had my own baby at 19

I was 16 when I looked after babies less than a year old. Zero interest in babies but was the eldest of four, if that makes any difference.

Obviously we don't know your Mum's point of view, but this sounds very controlling. I think sometimes people don't even know they're doing it. I would focus on yourself, doing your own things and growing in independence. Let this go as you don't want to argue if your Mum is so set against this, but if you would like to babysit for the child I would just let the mother know you would be happy to do it in future if she would like.

Not if you’ve never been around babies before no, anyone can get extremely stressed out if a baby gets very upset. Totally different to having your own baby

And they learn how to look after them. Op does not as far as I can see specify whether or not she's learned how to look after a baby yet. Some 19 yr olds are competent drivers who have passed their tests, some haven't had a lesson yet. It's not about age it's about knowledge and experience.
It may be the OP has helped this mum with the baby on many occasions and knows exactly what to do, baby knows her, no problem.
Or it may be she hasn't met the baby, has never changed a nappy, and is clueless what care a 9 month old needs.

(Eta this was in response to post about 16 yr olds being able to have babies, sry I lost the quote.)

Same here

Have you any experience with babies? Does the mother know you and would she be happy for you to babysit instead of your mum.
If I had asked my friend to babysit and her teenage daughter who has no experience with babies turned up instead i wouldn't be happy.
You do sound immature.
Looking after a baby isn't the same as looking after a pet.

I was babysitting from the age of 12. At 19 you’re an adult, able to have your own babies, so yeah, if the parent of the baby is happy, of course it is ok

Have you asked your Mum why she thinks you aren't capable? I had no siblings/cousins to look after and my only babysitting involved sitting downstairs watching TV until the parents came home. Aged 18 I got a job caring for a year old in a large household where a new baby was expected. I was there less than a week when the adults all went off to a wedding for 15 hours, thankfully taking new baby with them but leaving me with the year old and six slightly older ones. What fun that was! Luckily the 12 year old was amazing, but if you're resilient and sensible I don't see a problem.

I'm really confused as to why your mum's opinion matters so much to you and why she can refuse or allow you to do normal things adults do for their friends.

Agree.

Do you live a very sheltered life, OP?

From Age 14 I took care of my siblings aged under 1 and 4yrs old alone- as in parents went out for hours, I did feeds/ nappies/ sleep routines while keeping 4 yr old happy.

But from age 10 when first sibling came I was hands on and did everything supervised so was experienced by the time I was 13/14 for second baby.

Your mum sounds quite damaging in that you are breaking out into the real world and she’s trying to put you back in your box. Unless you have LD/ forget loads/ are clumsy or have no common sense or safety awareness I am not sure why you should not take care of baby if parents are happy.

@Raspberryripple3000 Leave home. Get out there. Away from home. Grow and mature and learn about the world. Become independent.

It's the mum's friend that has the baby, not the OP's friend.

Some yes, some no.

You're being really weird & I wouldn't ask you to look after a house plant, let alone a baby.

You need to grow up before muscling in offering to babysit.

Its old enough though baby sitters need a bit of experience with babies before having sole charge.
But. Your reasoning is strange. Your mum arranged to babysit for a friend and you decided she'd be too tired and you should do it instead because you wanted to. Maybe let your mum stick to her own plans in future and arrange things for yourself.

I had birthed and was caring for a baby before I had even turned 19…. He is now 20 years old so it seems a 19 year old can in fact look after a baby haha

Maybe your Mum doesn't want to be left out?

Left out of what?

She's the one who has offered to bbabysit!

The mother offered to babysit. The friend is the mothers friend.
It's the daughter who is acting strangely wanting to replace her dead pet by baby sitting for her mum's friend when the mother has already arranged and agreed to do the babysitting.
Perhaps the mother wanted to babysit and doesn't want the daughter to take her place but also she probably knows her daughter isn't mature enough to care for an actual human being.
Age isn't really a factor.