Siblings babysitting

[Laffielle]

What age is it appropriate to leave an older sibling to babysit younger siblings?

Would leaving a nearly 16yo to look after a their 13yo and 10yo BU? From 7:30 until 11pm.

Children are the parents' responsibility not the siblings job - look after them yourself or pay up!
What a strange comment. Not everyone arranges their family around money. We also don't pay for chores as it's understood that we all help each other out. We don't go out very often anyway.

You lot who don't pay are mean! My parents used to make me babysit for free when I'd rather have been out with my own friends. I hated it and would never do that to my own kids. Children are the parents' responsibility not the siblings job - look after them yourself or pay up!

I'd pay if "babysitting" involved some actual work. Meanwhile, in our house it means everyone is playing videogames on their own devices, just the older has to keep an eye out so the younger doesn't spontaneously do anything stupid.
And they get a takeway.

@Laffielle

What age is it appropriate to leave an older sibling to babysit younger siblings?

Would leaving a nearly 16yo to look after a their 13yo and 10yo BU? From 7:30 until 11pm.

Yes. Shouldn't really need asking as the younger ones don't really need any looking after.

I think it's fine. My older kids often looked after their little sister for an hour or two. I didn't pay them either, but if it an evening, I'd get them in treats and a new film to watch.
I think that the older kids were quite pleased to be asked. If they had other plans I would have made other arrangements.

Our nearly 15 year old looks after nearly 11 year old but we are at a pub down the road that sells food- literally 5 mins walk. We never pay him but he gets loads if money from us anyway to go out, to buy clothes so we don't see it as much to ask.