to not let DS babysit little DS ever again.

[meanderpede]

DS is nearly 17. He loves DS2 who is 5, and he adores him. They mess around together a lot, screaming, laughing, rough and tumble. This is all great. He babysits him sometimes and has recently graduated from babysitting when he is already in bed asleep to looking after him awake and putting him to bed. I pay him.

I just caught him playing with an aerosol of deodorant. He had given it to him to play with, with the lid off and was saying, oh no, don't press the button. WIBU not to let him babysit again? He is very keen to earn the money but I just don't think he has the maturity to understand the consequences of something like this.

It seems it is just not only your son, OP. There is a current thread about mature men and how stupid they can be when it comes to looking after DC.

And yet, these children turn out just fine despite anxious mothers wringing their hands about it.

The mind boggles! The hidden death traps that I have not been aware of until now!

Have you not watched commercials for baby proofing products? Your child is evolutionarily wired to kill itself with common house hold products.

No but seriously, you don't understand some of the dangers until your child hurts himself in the dumbest way possible...

Agree with the above..when ds was three bought him a lightweight pumpkin trick or treat bucket ( no plastic bag/suffocating in this house) ds popped it on his head, attempted a rolly polly and promptly got his head jammed in it and had to go to minor injuries