To think that CHILDREN should not be advertised as babysitters?

[ulB]

OK, I have changed my name, as there is a MN who sends her child to the school that is associated with this - in fact i think she may even be involved in some kind of franchise arrangement over child babysitters . But I can tell you all sorts of sordid details about Cod's pouch of Douglas and whose DH rubs his hands together like a lamb slaughterer as part of foreplay - I am not a troll.

Earlier this week we had a perky little flyer through our door, advertising a 'Babysitting Service for Roads xx, xx, and xx' by two girls aged 13, who said they were experienced in babysitting babies (from 1 year) to 10 year old children. They said they were from a particlular local private school.

When I mentioned this to the MN-er who sends her child there, complimenting her on the Enterprise Culture that is being instilled, she mentioned, rather casually, that she thought the school might be encouraging it as a way for parents to be able to afford the fees!!

NOW I thnk that this mother herself may be involved!

Is it reasonable for 13 year-olds to be offer

ing a babysitting service?

Is this really indicative of what parents will do to afford the fees?

Or am I over-reacting and should I make use of this service, and encourage these young people?

I hope the mother doesn't take this the wrong way - she does not live in the 3 roads specified, which are the 'nicer' roads in our area (though I say it myself) and ever since that grape threa all those years ago, sjhe has been sneaking swigs from the bottles in Lidl, and it makes her a bit unpredicatble.

?ulb no uoy era kcuf eht tahw

I babysat regularly for babies and children from age 13, in my own locality initially ie within striking distance of my own home so that I could call my mother to help out if anything too difficult for me to handle arose (I never needed to do this, however).

You should encourage these young people who are taking their first steps at earning their own money in a responsible way.

Well I'm totally lost by this thread but I've made the decision that I would never leave my kids with teenage babysitters. I used to be a babysitter from about the age of 12 but I still think that we had alot more sense back then and played by the rules more (no boys round, no using phone etc). I just don't really trust kids these days. If it were a teenager I knew and trusted then perhaps I would change my mind at some point in the future but not whilst my youngest is only 4. I'll only rely on adult babysitters and again only if I know them. I'm not that fussed about going out anyway nor is hubby. Cheaper to order in a chinese and bottle of wine!! Not sure about this being a wind up - that seems to common in alot of these threads. Is there any point in placing wind up threads when people look at this website as a lifesaver and sometimes their only form of genuine communication with other mums in private

ttelgiwT, s'ti srettaB ereh

You're all flipping crazy.

reknaw?

Hi -- I thought it was against the law? i thought that you were allowed to leave a child alone at the age of 12, and in charge of other children at the age of 14. Have I missed something?

Yes, stuffitllama. Follow the links...

srettaB:

yes, it would be true to say that i have left small, vulverable members of our household in the care of your dd. And that I have no concerns about the level of care offered.

BUT (and this is a 'but' that I would expect ofsted to expect a competent childcarer to understand) mindee was not DS but our RABBITS.

Now, I know former polytechnics could be patchy in their teaching, but your DD needs to swot up on some of the finer parts of babysitting ('This is a 'rabbit', this is a 'child'') before you demand any money from me.

I apologise to innocent MN-ers who have become embroiled in this - thanks particularly to colditz for illuminating observations, and Cod for her understanding as to why i was using hr fanjo as evidence, but as kitty so rightly says, this is a serious matter and needs to be dicussed in private when I next see you making a spectacle of yourself shoping in Lidl.

I am retiring from this thread to go and hug my little one tight.

hallgerda i could only see colditz's and that was a gonk

anyway i googled it

this sia wind up right

Stuffitllama, try the other links and all will become clear. I'd be thrown out of Pedants' Corner if I didn't point out that you've identified the creature in colditz's link incorrectly. It's something that lives under bridges .

this back typing is too much, it takes much brainpower.

i'm so old it was a gonk when i was at school
am sorted now hallgerda wth thks

sorry - vulverable somehow got inter-twangled with Cods pouch.

Oh dear.

Anyway - for people with serious and genuine resposnes ;

I really DID get a leaflet through my door advertising babysitting for 1-10 y.o by 13 year-olds, within 3 roads, and by pupils from the school Batters' dd goes to.

I was a bit askance as I thought babysitting by 13 year olds might not be legal - and also put them at risk as they are advertising to strangers, not friends and neighbours. (even though they are 'nice roads' )

And Btters really did offer the opinion that 'how else are parents supposed to be able to afford the fees?'.

But, you see, I think she finds it difficult as she drinks away her money on fake chablis from Lidl.

or am i beginning to blur fact and fition again? It's always so hard to tell on Friday.

Also, Batters dd is delightful, sensible (except in the nicest funniest ways) and really has looked after our rabbits very well.

Sorry for being quichey.

no, gonks were furry all over and more cylindrical.

I don't need to look up Cod's Pouch of Douglas - I saw it the first time - and it wasn't pretty

I'm mystified as to why Lidl would be having a massive refurbishment if it's not re-opening as a Waitrose - I thought refurbishment was completely against the spirit of Lidl.

@ Kitti missing the whole point of mn