To think this is totally ok and I am not a lax parent

[Northernsoulgirl45]

Have 3 dd 15 12 and 6
Very occasionally I leave them with the 15 year old in charge. Never more than an hour or two and not at night.
Another mum of a small child btw has made me feel like a bad mum for giving dd1 this responsibility.
So who is unreasonable?

Sorry meant 6 year old! No idea why I said 3 😴

I had a babysitting job when I was 15, looking after kids aged 3, 5 and 7 and often staying at their house all weekend while the parents were away!

Of course it's fine. You know your own kids better than anyone and you've already made that judgement.

I was babysitting 3 young children twice a week at that age one of whom was disabled.

It is fine - ignore the other mom.

YANBU.

You may want to share this fun bit of trivia with your friend: in Canada, the Red Cross has for decades been running a ‘babysitting training’ course. It’s very popular. It’s open to children aged 11 to 15, as these are the ages that teenagers and pre-teens do babysitting.

www.redcross.ca/training-and-certification/course-descriptions/first-aid-at-home-courses/babysitting

I don’t think British teenagers are any less able than Canadian ones of looking after a six year old. I had a regular babysitting gig every Friday evening when I was 11!

We have left our 15 and 12 in for 3 hours to go the cinema we phoned them while we were there and they are fine

At 15 I travelled up to London on the train to look after my 2 cousins (9 and 5) for week while my uncle and aunt went on holiday.
Thought nothing of it and I was perfectly capable. I made their meals, did their washing, took them on days out and it was fine.
There's no reason at all a sensible 15 yr old shouldn't be able to look after a couple of younger children for an hour.

When I was 14 I was in sole charge of a 9 week old, 5 and 6 year old in the evening babysitting. Once the baby got to about 6 months I would look after them all during the day and take them out to the park. I was always quite happy and confident doing it.

@bigmumsymcgraw grow up

At 15 i babysat for a blended family, the children were 12, 10 and a baby of less than a year old. I baby sat twice a week in the evening for up to four hours for about four years.

It’s fine.

Absolutely no problem. Some 15 year olds have babies. I knew a young girl who had one child at 15 and one at 17. Her girls were always beautifully turned out, were great readers, learnt their lines for plays, were polite and well behaved and always had their homework done.

If your 15 year old is sensible then I see no problem. My 14 year old son could bath his baby sister better than my husband and she was number 4!
My mum left me with two of my sisters when my nana died and her sister had a miscarriage the same week. Mum took the youngest one and I saw to the other two for a week. They were 8 and 6. I remember I bunked off school one day so I could get all the washing and ironing done and exercise my horse. One of the teachers at school asked where I was and they congratulated me for holding the fort. No SS, no interference and I appreciated my mum more when she came home. There was only ahouse phone those days too.

Jennifer I trained as an NNEB as a mature student there were five mature students and the rest were 16 when they started. I still see a couple of them now and then 28 years later .

I think it depends on what you mean by 'in charge'.
In my experience the problems arise if the next one down, the 12 year old, does not want to do what the 15 year old says.
For example, simple things such as - take dirty plates to the kitchen after eating, or put their stuff away, etc. or if later, that it was time the 12 year old went to bed.

I occassionally left mine where the eldest was the same age, but I also made it clear that the eldest was not supposed to tell the younger ones what to do, as in my case, they were also old enough to know how to behave themselves.
The 15 year old does not have the experience to deal with a stubborn sibling.

In your case, both the older ones should be sufficiently aware of danger, and would know to call the emergency services in case of emergencey.

IMO, The 15 year old should be able to babysit the 6 year old.

Haha!

I was babysitting at 14/15. This seems completely normal to me. I would actually expect the 15 year old to be able to babysit for an evening (they probably wouldn't want to but I'd expect them to be capable!)

I think this is fine, they’re siblings, know each other well and obviously you feel it’s ok. Other mum can keep her nose out.

You have three children so your not new to the game. I highly doubt you would be leaving her in charge of you thought she was irresponsible. Your mum and you know best.
Ignore the other mum clearly doesn’t have sensible or teenage children.
My sister regularly watched me ( even at night ) mum had to work there was no other way. Sister was responsible and sensible.

Absolutely fine imo

Absolutely fine. You know your kids, and you know if the 15 year old is ready for this. And if the 3 year old is ready too.

I was out babysitting for other people's children for money when I was 10. That seems insane to me now, but 15? No problem.

I don’t because we live 2 hours apart so when We are together we are all their adults included but I think my 11 year old DD could
Quite happily and safely look after my 5 year old niece for a couple of hours

As long as she is happy to do it and you don't just dump it on her (I know some parents that do / have done this), then I think it's fine at 15.

My 11yo is picking up her 9yo brother from school tomorrow...I haven't yet left them alone with the 6yo but in reality they are totally responsible enough to, by the time they are 7, 10 and 12 I totally would for an hour or two. They get on well and are all clued up and sensible.

I was babysitting other children, mostly toddlers in nappies, at 14
I went to France alone to visit my penpal at 15
I think if you know your children to be sufficiently mature to care for their youngest sibling rather than scoring off the other one, then it's a perfectly appropriate age to leave them. Even at night!
My regular babysitter started with us at 15 and she is great! I think other peoples kids are easier then your siblings though, tbh.

YANBU if anything your teaching responsibility.

Totally fine, ignore her.

15 is old enough to babysit! You also know your other 2 children and whether the 15 year old can look after them or they won't play her up (I'm assuming all ok otherwise you wouldn't leave them together).

I suggest the person who made this comment is jealous because you have a home-grown babysitter!