Would you get a babysitter for 13 year olds?

[ohtsmeagain]

I have a 13 year old, sensible, he likes staying home alone if I occasionally go to supermarket or gym in the daytime but I'm always home by 7pm and usually well earlier.

It's been almost two years since I've been out in the evening due to Covid but am now thinking about going on during the week once a month for drinks so wouldn't get home til 1130/midnight.

At what age do you stop getting babysitters for this? Personally I was actually working as a babysitter myself by the age of 13 but times have changed.

I'm an only child and my parents went out once a week from 7pm until about midnight and I had a babysitter until I was about 14, but I don't think I would have been happy by myself for that period of time

Also my parents were an hour's train ride away so not local

I'd leave him alone. He should be fine.

@Strictly1

At 13 I was the babysitter!

Me too.

14 year old next door sometimes babysits for us. I think he'd be horrified at the suggestion he should be babysat

I was babysitting at 13 for families that didn't have a land line, let alone a cell phone. They and I all survived

No, I wouldn't get a babysitter if he is happy with the arrangement of being in alone. I would just make sure he knows what to do in an emergency, for example our in-laws are just round the corner and our neighbours are friendly and usually around as well.