To think my 16 year old babysitter can walk home by herself?

[Heket]

She lives 5 doors away from us - approx 100m.

Surely she can walk back by herself at 9.30pm? I can watch her until she gets into her driveway but it seems this isn't enough for her mum and I have to escort her to the door.

Sorry if this has been said... but if she's not old enough to do this lengthy walk by herself, is she old enough to be minding little kids and keeping calm if there was an emergency with them?

I think YABU. I would want to see a 16 year old babysitter safely in at her door and I understand her mother, sounds perfectly reasonable to me. In your situation, as you say, you cannot walk her home so I think you need to look for a different babysitter for times when dp isn't with you. It's always good to have more than one babysitter to fall back on anyway.

5 doors away - course she can get home alone.

YANBU. A 16 year old is perfectly cabable of walking back that shirt a distance at 16. In fact we have just started lettind DD3 just 16 walk back from Drama club ( which finishes at 9) by herself and taht's about 5 minutes walk.
If her Mum is that worried ask her to come and pick her up.

I think I would let my 8 year old walk that distance alone at 9.30pm

How about ringing her mother when it's time for the babysitter to leave, so the mother can pop her head out her front door and watch her come home?

Bloody hell!! ROFL I was out clubbing with dh1 when I was 16! (obviously he was my bf at the time!!) YANBU!

Surely a 16 yo walks more than 100m on her own at some point?! Even if it is home from School/bus stop in winter (I was definitely out clubbing at that age too Tori!)
Her mother can't expect you to leave your 2 toddlers alone, to walk her 16 yo home. Poor babysitter is probably embarrassed to death by her asking.
Agree with yurt1 - call her Mum and you can both stand at the door and watch her home

Surely it's not too far to walk at 16, especially as you can watch her till she gets to her door.
I was living on my own at 16 and would have had great difficulty surviving if I hadn't been able to walk down the street when necessary!
Different if it's a longer distance, dodgy area and late at night...

I read the thread title and thought "No, you should see a 16 yo home safely". And I still stick to that as a general policy, but walking five doors, in plain view so you could watch her the whole way, I think YANBU.